From a tropical vacation or an extended trip for work, taking a trip means making preparations for your heating and cooling system. You can't use it while you’re not home, so you can make adjustments as necessary to limit your energy use. Simultaneously, you don’t want to just leave it off for the entire duration of your trip.
Instead, it’s ideal to leave your HVAC system on and adjust the temperature depending on the time of year. That way you can reduce energy costs without having to worry 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 Avoid Leaving Your Thermostat on Hold
While you could be tempted to turn your HVAC system off before a trip, this can end up leading to costly problems by the time you return. This is notably true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re gone.
As an example, turning the HVAC system down in the summer will sometimes produce very high humidity. Not only will your home feel muggy and uncomfortable when you come back, but it may have also invited mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And over the winter, letting your house get cold could lead to pipes icing over or even bursting. It’s never fun to come home from a nice trip only to discover considerable water damage close to 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 about 8 hours or longer, it doesn’t make sense to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. As a general rule, it’s suggested to adjust the thermostat by 5 degrees or so. This 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 stated by the Department of Energy, you could save nearly 10% on your HVAC expenses by raising the temperature by about 7-10 degrees.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While on a Trip in Summer
If you’re leaving for a lengthier trip in the heart of summer, you can make larger 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 around 10 degrees is worthwhile if you’ll be out of town for 2 weeks or longer. If you enjoy keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 should offer beneficial results.
Recommended Thermostat Settings While On a Trip in Winter
To try and find the most energy-efficient thermostat setting for a winter vacation, consider lowering the temperature by the same amount you would adjust it in summer. 68 is a common winter thermostat setting, so lowering it to 63-58 will keep your plumbing safe while restricting how long your furnace runs.
Smart Thermostats Are Even Better: Perks of a Smart Thermostat
One of the best ways to manage your home’s HVAC system while away is using a smart thermostat. This innovative type of programmable thermostat uses intelligent software to track your typical comfort habits. It gradually understands these preferences and makes automatic corrections to the schedule for better energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi compatibility, you can remotely adjust your HVAC system using a smart device like a phone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are packed with features to help you save even more. For instance, some models can monitor electricity prices to bolster heating or cooling when prices are lower. 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 simplify how you use your comfort system. If you’re considering investing in a smart thermostat, there are different ways you can bring down your costs, in essence getting a smart thermostat for free. The next time you are away from home, you can receive true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t cause any trouble while you’re gone.
