Whether it’s a tropical vacation or an extended trip for work, leaving home means making preparations for your HVAC system. You don't need it while you’re away, so you can adjust it as appropriate to conserve your energy use. At the same time, you don’t want to just leave it off for the entire time you're out of the house.
In general, it’s better to leave your HVAC system on and adjust the temperature depending on the time of year. That way you can reduce energy costs without worrying about coming back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll explain why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the most energy-efficient thermostat settings for summer and winter.
Here’s Why You Avoid Leaving Your Thermostat Alone
While you may be wanting to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this could end up stirring up big problems by the time you return. This is particularly true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.
For instance, turning the HVAC system down during the summer could cause very high humidity. Not only will your home feel gross when you come back, but it might have also invited mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And in the winter, letting your house get cold might lead to pipes icing over or even bursting. It’s never fun to come home from a long trip only to find substantial water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Best Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can adjust the temperature even when you're just going to work. Because you’re not home for around 8 hours or so, it doesn’t seem sensible to keep an empty home the same temperature as when you're home. As a general rule, it’s suggested to turn up the thermostat by 5 degrees or so. This means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, consider adjusting it to 76-77 while you’re out.
But you could save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. According to the Department of Energy, you may save about 10% on your HVAC expenses by making an adjustment of 7-10 degrees.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While on a Trip in Summer
If you leave for a lengthier trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make more significant adjustments. This ensures you don’t waste energy while still protecting your home from the problems that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. Something like 5 degrees is appropriate for shorter trips while around 10 degrees is best if you’ll be gone for 2 weeks or longer. If you prefer keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 will offer the best results.
Recommended Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Winter
To determine the ideal thermostat setting for a winter vacation, consider lowering the temperature by the same amount you would raise it in summer. 68 is a common winter thermostat setting, so lowering it to 63-58 will prevent ice from forming on pipes while limiting how frequently your furnace runs.
Smart Thermostats Are Even Better: Perks of Smart Thermostat Installation
A great way to manage your home’s HVAC system while away from home is using a smart thermostat. This advanced type of programmable thermostat employs intelligent software to track your preferred comfort habits. It learns these preferences and makes automatic changes to the schedule for maximum energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi compatibility, you can remotely adjust your heating and cooling with a smart device like a phone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are stuffed with features to help you save on your energy bill. For example, specific models can monitor electricity prices to increase heating or cooling when prices are lowest. They are compatible with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to refine how long your HVAC system should run. It’s the perfect tool to simplify how you control your comfort system. If you’re thinking about investing in a smart thermostat, there are a variety of ways you can lower your costs, essentially getting a smart thermostat for free. The next time you leave for vacation, you can receive true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t stir up any trouble while you’re away.