Whether it’s a relaxing vacation or an extended trip for work, taking a trip means making plans for your heating and cooling system. You can't use it if you’re on a trip, so you can adjust it as needed to minimize your energy use. Simultaneously, you don’t want to just leave it off for the entire time you're out of the house.
In general, it’s ideal to leave your HVAC system on and just raise or lower depending on whether it's winter or summer. That way you can minimize energy costs without having to worry about returning to an uncomfortable home. We’ll explain why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the ideal thermostat settings for summer and winter.
Here’s Why You Don't Leave Your Thermostat on Hold
While you might be wanting to turn your HVAC system off before a trip, this can end up leading to 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 out of town.
For instance, turning the HVAC system off during the summer could produce very high humidity. Not only will your home feel muggy and uncomfortable when you have returned, but it might have also invited mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And over the winter, letting your house get cold could lead to pipes freezing up or even bursting. It’s exhausting to get home from a vacation only to discover considerable water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Best Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can make temperature adjustments even as you come and go to work. Considering you’re away for around 8 hours or so, it doesn’t make sense to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. As a general rule, it’s encouraged to turn up the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. That means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, think about adjusting it to 76-77 while you’re out.
But you could save even more if you try further adjustments to the temperature. As stated by the Department of Energy, you could save nearly 10% on your HVAC costs by raising the temperature by about 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 problems that come with leaving it uncooled. Around 5 degrees is recommended for short trips while a larger adjustment of 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 will offer great results.
Recommended Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Winter
To try and find the ideal thermostat setting for a winter getaway, just lower the temperature by the same amount you would adjust it in summer. 68 is a frequent winter thermostat setting, so turning it down to 63-58 will protect your plumbing while limiting how frequently your furnace operates.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Advantages of a Smart Thermostat
One of the best ways to optimize your home’s HVAC system while away from home is using a smart thermostat. This innovative type of programmable thermostat utilizes intelligent software to monitor your typical comfort habits. It applies 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 from a smart device like a phone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are loaded with features to help you save on your energy bill. For instance, some models can track electricity prices to increase heating or cooling when prices are more affordable. 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 enhance how you use your comfort system. If you’re thinking about investing in a smart thermostat, there are a variety of ways you can reduce 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 from home.