Between a tropical vacation or an extended trip for work, leaving home means making plans for your heating and cooling system. You can't use it if you’re away, so you can make adjustments as necessary to minimize your energy use. Just the same, you shouldn't just turn it off for the entire time you're gone.
In general, it’s better to leave your HVAC system going and adjust the temperature depending on the season. That way you can minimize energy costs without stressing about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll explain why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the best thermostat settings for summer and winter.
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Leave Your Thermostat on Hold
While you might be tempted to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this could end up leading to costly problems by the time you return. This is especially true if the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.
For example, switching the HVAC system off during the summer can produce very high humidity. Not only will your home feel gross when you return, but it might have also invited mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And in the winter, not using the furnace might lead to pipes freezing up or even bursting. It’s never fun to return home from a nice trip only to find extensive water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can make temperature adjustments even if you’re coming and going to work. Considering you’re away for 8 hours or more, it doesn’t seem sensible to keep an empty home the same temperature as when you're home. Generally, it’s suggested to turn up 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 out.
But you could save even more if you’re willing to further adjust the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you could save around 10% on your HVAC spending by increasing the adjustment to 7-10 degrees.
Best Thermostat Settings While Away from Home in Summer
If you're on an extended trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make larger adjustments. This ensures you don’t waste energy while still safeguarding your home from the hassles that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. Something like 5 degrees is suitable for shorter trips while closer to 10 degrees is best if you’ll be gone for 2 weeks or longer. If you prefer keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 should offer the best results.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Winter
To figure out the ideal thermostat setting for a winter trip, consider lowering the temperature by the same amount you would raise it in summer. 68 is a popular winter thermostat setting, so lowering it to 63-58 will protect your plumbing while restricting how often your furnace operates.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Benefits of Smart Thermostat Installation
An ideal strategy to optimize your home’s HVAC system while away is using a smart thermostat. This special type of programmable thermostat employs intelligent software to monitor your typical comfort habits. It applies these preferences and makes automatic adjustments to the schedule for better energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can remotely adjust your heating and cooling from a smartphone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are loaded with features to help you save on your energy bill. For instance, specific models can monitor electricity prices to increase heating or cooling when prices are more affordable. They are compatible with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to optimize how long your HVAC system has to run. It’s the optimal tool to streamline how you use your comfort system. If you’re considering investing in a smart thermostat, there are multiple ways you can reduce your costs, essentially 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 stir up any trouble while you’re away from home.