From a tropical vacation or a long trip for work, traveling means making preparations for your home comfort system. You can't use it as long as you’re on a trip, so you can adjust it as needed to limit your energy use. At the same time, you shouldn't just shut it down for the entire time you're gone.
Instead, it’s better to leave your HVAC system running and just make adjustments depending on the season. That way you can reduce energy costs without stressing about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll walk you through why you should avoid turning your HVAC system off as well as the most energy-efficient thermostat settings for different times of year.
Here’s Why You Avoid Leaving Your Thermostat Alone
While you could be inclined to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this will sometimes end up causing annoying problems by the time you get back. This is notably true when the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.
For instance, shutting the HVAC system down during the summer can lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you come back, but it might have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And during the winter, letting your house get cold might lead to pipes freezing or even bursting. It’s never fun to get home from a vacation only to find considerable water damage close to a broken pipe.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can adjust the temperature even if you’re coming and going to work. Since you’re not home for about 8 hours or longer, it doesn’t help your monthly energy bill to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. As a general rule, it’s encouraged to raise the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. This means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, try adjusting it to 76-77 while you’re gone.
But you could save even more if you try further adjustments to the temperature. According to the Department of Energy, you may save about 10% on your HVAC costs by raising the temperature by about 7-10 degrees.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While Away from Home in Summer
If you leave for a lengthier trip in the heart of summer, you can make more significant adjustments. This helps you avoid using too much energy while still defending your home from the issues that come with leaving it uncooled. About 5 degrees is suitable for short trips while around 10 degrees is best if you’ll be away from home for 2 weeks or longer. If you like keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 can offer the best results.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While On a Trip in Winter
To determine the ideal thermostat setting for a winter getaway, just lower the temperature by the same amount you would increase it in summer. 68 is a popular winter thermostat setting, so lowering it to 63-58 will prevent ice from forming on pipes while limiting how frequently your furnace operates.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Perks of a Smart Thermostat
An ideal strategy to manage your home’s HVAC system while out of the house is with a smart thermostat. This advanced type of programmable thermostat utilizes intelligent software to understand your usual comfort habits. It gradually understands these preferences and makes automatic corrections to the schedule for maximum energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can remotely adjust your HVAC system with a smartphone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are stuffed with features to help you save energy and lower costs. For example, certain models can monitor electricity prices to boost heating or cooling when prices are lowest. They can also work with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to refine how long your HVAC system needs to run. It’s the ideal tool to simplify how you use your comfort system. If you’re considering investing in a smart thermostat, there are multiple ways you can reduce your costs, effectively getting a smart thermostat for free. The next time you are away from home, you can appreciate true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t stir up any trouble while you’re gone.
