From a relaxing vacation or a lengthy trip for work, taking a trip means making plans for your HVAC system. You don't need it as long as you’re on a trip, so you can adjust it as needed to conserve your energy use. Just the same, you don’t want to just shut it down for the entire time you're out of the house.
Instead, it’s ideal to leave your HVAC system running and just make adjustments depending on the season. That way you can minimize energy costs without worrying about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll explain why you should avoid turning your HVAC system off as well as the best thermostat settings for various times of year.
Here’s Why You Avoid Leaving Your Thermostat on Hold
While you might be tempted to leave your HVAC system off before a trip, this will sometimes end up leading to big problems by the time you get back. This is particularly true if the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re gone.
For instance, shutting the HVAC system down in the summer will sometimes produce very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you return, but it might have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And during the winter, leaving the furnace off can lead to pipes icing over or even bursting. It’s exhausting to return home from a long trip only to discover extensive water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can make temperature adjustments even when you're just going to work. Since you’re away for 8 hours or more, it doesn’t make sense to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. Generally, it’s recommended to raise the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. This means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, consider raising 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 could save around 10% on your HVAC expenses by making an adjustment of 7-10 degrees.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Summer
If you leave for a lengthier trip in the middle of summer, you can make more significant adjustments. This helps you avoid using too much energy while still safeguarding your home from the problems that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. Around 5 degrees is suitable for short trips while around 10 degrees is best if you’ll be gone for 2 weeks or more. If you like keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 should offer beneficial results.
Recommended Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Winter
To try and find the ideal thermostat setting for a winter vacation, just lower 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 prevent ice from forming on pipes while restricting how frequently your furnace runs.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Benefits of a Smart Thermostat
A great way to manage your home’s HVAC system while away is with a smart thermostat. This special type of programmable thermostat utilizes intelligent software to track your usual comfort habits. It applies these preferences and makes automatic adjustments to the schedule for better energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi compatibility, you can remotely access your HVAC system with a smartphone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are packed with features to help you save even more. For example, some models can observe electricity prices to increase heating or cooling when prices are lowest. They can also work with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to optimize how long your HVAC system has to run. It’s the perfect tool to enhance how you use your comfort system. If you’re planning on investing in a smart thermostat, there are multiple ways you can bring down 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 cause any trouble while you’re gone.