Between a tropical vacation or a lengthy trip for work, leaving home means making preparations for your HVAC system. You don't need it as long as you’re away, so you can adjust the temperature as appropriate to minimize your energy use. At the same time, you shouldn't just leave it off for the entire time you're out of the house.
For the most part, it’s best to leave your HVAC system on and just make adjustments depending on whether it's winter or summer. That way you can minimize energy costs without stressing about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll walk you through 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 wanting to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this can end up leading to big problems by the time you get back. This is especially true if the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.
For instance, switching the HVAC system off during the summer can lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel muggy and uncomfortable when you return, but it could have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And during the winter, letting your house get cold will sometimes lead to pipes freezing up or even bursting. It’s exhausting to get home from a long trip only to find extensive water damage near a broken pipe.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can adjust the temperature even when you're just going to work. Since you’re away for 8 hours or more, it doesn’t help your monthly energy bill to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. As a general rule, it’s suggested to turn up the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. This means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, consider increasing it to 76-77 while you’re at work.
But you can save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you may save nearly 10% on your HVAC expenses by raising the temperature by about 7-10 degrees.
Best Thermostat Settings While on a Trip in Summer
If you’re leaving for a longer trip in the middle of summer, you can make larger adjustments. This prevents wasting energy while still protecting your home from the issues that come with leaving it without air conditioning. Something like 5 degrees is appropriate for brief 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 can offer beneficial results.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While Away from Home in Winter
To figure out the ideal thermostat setting for a winter vacation, simply lower it by the same amount you would adjust it in summer. 68 is a popular winter thermostat setting, so lowering it to 63-58 will prevent ice from forming on pipes while minimizing how long your furnace operates.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Benefits of a Smart Thermostat
One of the best ways to manage your home’s HVAC system while away is using a smart thermostat. This advanced type of programmable thermostat utilizes intelligent software to monitor your usual comfort habits. It applies these preferences and makes automatic changes to the schedule for higher energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi integration, you can remotely adjust your heating and cooling from a mobile device or tablet.
Smart thermostats are stuffed with features to help you save on your energy bill. For example, some models can observe electricity prices to boost heating or cooling when prices are lower. They can be used with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to optimize how long your HVAC system needs to run. It’s the perfect tool to enhance how you control 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 leave for vacation, you can enjoy true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t stir up any trouble while you’re away.