From a relaxing vacation or a lengthy trip for work, traveling means making plans for your heating and cooling system. You can't use it while you’re on a trip, so you can adjust it as appropriate to conserve your energy use. Just the same, you shouldn't just turn it off for the entire time you're gone.
Instead, it’s best to leave your HVAC system on and just raise or lower depending on the time of year. That way you can reduce energy costs without having to worry about coming back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll walk you through why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the ideal thermostat settings for different times of year.
This Is Why You Don't Leave Your Thermostat on Hold
While you may be inclined to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this will sometimes end up stirring up big problems by the time you come back. This is especially true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.
For example, switching the HVAC system off during the summer will sometimes produce very high humidity. Not only will your home feel gross when you return, but it might have also stimulated mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And in the winter, not using the furnace can lead to pipes icing over or even bursting. It’s an awful feeling to get home from a vacation only to come across substantial water damage close to a broken pipe.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can make temperature adjustments even if you’re coming and going to work. Since you’re away for 8 hours or more, it doesn’t seem sensible to keep an empty home heated or cooled as if you were there. 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, try adjusting it to 76-77 while you’re gone.
But you may save even more if you’re willing to further adjust the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you may save about 10% on your HVAC expenses by increasing the adjustment to 7-10 degrees.
Best Thermostat Settings While on a Trip in Summer
If you’re leaving for a lengthier trip in the heart of summer, you can make more significant adjustments. This prevents wasting energy while still defending your home from the issues that come with leaving it uncooled. Around 5 degrees is appropriate for brief trips while closer to 10 degrees is ideal if you’ll be gone for 2 weeks or more. If you prefer keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 can offer beneficial results.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While On a Trip in Winter
To determine the ideal thermostat setting for a winter vacation, consider lowering the temperature by the same amount you would increase it in summer. 68 is a common winter thermostat setting, so turning it down to 63-58 will keep your plumbing safe while minimizing how frequently your furnace runs.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Benefits of Smart Thermostat Installation
A great way to manage your home’s HVAC system while out of the house is with a smart thermostat. This special type of programmable thermostat employs intelligent software to monitor your usual comfort habits. It learns these preferences and makes automatic adjustments to the schedule for higher energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi integration, you can remotely control your heating and cooling with a smart device like a phone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are stuffed with features to help you save energy and lower costs. To provide an example, certain models can track electricity prices to boost heating or cooling when prices are more affordable. They can be used 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 multiple ways you can lower your costs, essentially 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 away from home.
