Whether it’s a tropical vacation or an extended trip for work, taking a trip means making preparations for your HVAC system. You can't use it while you’re on a trip, so you can adjust it as necessary to minimize your energy use. At the same time, you shouldn't just turn it off for the entire duration of your trip.
In general, it’s ideal to leave your HVAC system going and adjust the temperature depending on the time of year. That way you can reduce energy costs without stressing about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll review why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the best thermostat settings for various times of year.
This Is Why You Shouldn’t Leave Your Thermostat Alone
While you may be inclined to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this could end up stirring up costly problems by the time you come back. This is particularly true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re gone.
For instance, shutting the HVAC system off in the summer could cause very high humidity. Not only will your home feel gross when you have returned, but it might have also stimulated mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And in the winter, not using the furnace can lead to pipes freezing or even bursting. It’s an awful feeling to return home from a long trip only to discover considerable water damage close to a broken pipe.
Best Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can optimize the temperature even as you come and go to work. Because you’re out of the house for about 8 hours or longer, it doesn’t help your monthly energy bill to keep an empty home heated or cooled as if you were there. In general, it’s recommended to raise 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 at work.
But you could save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you could save about 10% on your HVAC spending by raising the temperature by about 7-10 degrees.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Summer
If you’re leaving for an extended trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make bigger adjustments. This ensures you don’t waste energy while still safeguarding your home from the issues that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. Around 5 degrees is recommended for brief trips while closer to 10 degrees is worthwhile if you’ll be out of town for 2 weeks or longer. If you like keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 should offer beneficial results.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Winter
To determine the ideal thermostat setting for a winter trip, just lower the temperature by the same amount you would increase it in summer. 68 is a frequent winter thermostat setting, so turning it down to 63-58 will protect your plumbing while limiting how often your furnace operates.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Benefits of a Smart Thermostat
One of the best ways to manage your home’s HVAC system while away is by investing in a smart thermostat. This innovative type of programmable thermostat uses intelligent software to track your preferred comfort habits. It gradually understands these preferences and makes automatic corrections to the schedule for better energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can remotely control your HVAC system with a smartphone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are loaded with features to help you save energy and lower costs. To provide an example, certain models can monitor electricity prices to boost heating or cooling when prices are more affordable. They are compatible 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 planning on investing in a smart thermostat, there are multiple ways you can bring down your costs, essentially getting a smart thermostat for free. The next time you are away from home, you can enjoy true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t cause any trouble while you’re away.