Whether it’s a relaxing vacation or a long trip for work, taking a trip means making plans for your HVAC system. You can't use it if you’re away, so you can make adjustments as necessary to limit your energy use. Simultaneously, you shouldn't just leave it off for the entire duration of your trip.
In general, it’s ideal to leave your HVAC system going and just raise or lower depending on the time of year. That way you can minimize energy costs without worrying about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll review why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the most energy-efficient thermostat settings for summer and winter.
This Is Why You Shouldn’t Leave Your Thermostat on Hold
While you might be wanting to leave your HVAC system off before a trip, this will sometimes end up stirring up annoying problems by the time you come back. This is especially true when the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.
As an example, switching the HVAC system down in the summer could produce very high humidity. Not only will your home feel gross when you have returned, but it may have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And during the winter, leaving the furnace off can lead to pipes freezing or even bursting. It’s an awful feeling to get home from a vacation only to discover substantial water damage near a broken pipe.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can optimize the temperature even if you’re coming and going to work. Considering you’re away for around 8 hours or so, it doesn’t seem sensible to keep an empty home heated or cooled as if you were there. In general, it’s encouraged to adjust the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. That means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, consider increasing it to 76-77 while you’re at work.
But you could save even more if you try further adjustments to the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you could save around 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 longer trip in the heart of summer, you can make more significant adjustments. This prevents wasting energy while still safeguarding your home from the problems that come with leaving it without air conditioning. Around 5 degrees is appropriate for short trips while closer to 10 degrees is ideal 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 great results.
Recommended Thermostat Settings While On a Trip in Winter
To try and find the ideal thermostat setting for a winter vacation, simply lower it by the same amount you would adjust it in summer. 68 is a frequent winter thermostat setting, so lowering it to 63-58 will protect your plumbing while minimizing how long your furnace operates.
Smart Thermostats Are Even Better: Advantages of a Smart Thermostat
One of the best ways to regulate your home’s HVAC system while away from home is with a smart thermostat. This special type of programmable thermostat uses intelligent software to monitor your typical comfort habits. It applies these preferences and makes automatic adjustments to the schedule for maximum energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can remotely control your HVAC system from a smart device like a phone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are packed with features to help you save energy and lower costs. To provide an example, some models can observe electricity prices to boost heating or cooling when prices are more affordable. They are compatible with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to optimize how long your HVAC system needs to run. It’s the optimal tool to simplify how you control your comfort system. If you’re planning on investing in a smart thermostat, there are a variety of ways you can lower your costs, effectively 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 cause any trouble while you’re away from home.