From a tropical vacation or a lengthy trip for work, leaving home means making plans for your home comfort system. You won’t be using it as long as you’re on a trip, so you can make adjustments as needed to limit your energy use. Simultaneously, you shouldn't just turn 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 adjust the temperature depending on the season. That way you can minimize energy costs without stressing about returning to an uncomfortable home. We’ll explain why you shouldn’t turn 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 could be inclined to leave your HVAC system off before a trip, this can end up stirring up big problems by the time you return. This is particularly true if the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re away from home.
As an example, switching the HVAC system down in the summer can cause very high humidity. Not only will your home feel gross when you return, but it could have also stimulated mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And over the winter, letting your house get cold might lead to pipes freezing up or even bursting. It’s never fun to return home from a nice trip only to discover extensive water damage close to a broken pipe.
Best Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can make temperature adjustments even when you're just going to work. Since you’re not home for around 8 hours or so, it doesn’t help your monthly energy bill to keep an empty home the same temperature as when you're home. As a general rule, it’s encouraged to adjust the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. Meaning that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, think about raising it to 76-77 while you’re out.
But you may save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. As stated by the Department of Energy, you may save about 10% on your HVAC costs by making an adjustment of 7-10 degrees.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While on a Trip in Summer
If you leave for a lengthier trip in the heart of summer, you can make larger adjustments. This ensures you don’t waste energy while still safeguarding your home from the issues that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. About 5 degrees is suitable for shorter trips while a larger adjustment of 10 degrees is best if you’ll be gone for 2 weeks or more. If you prefer keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 should offer the best results.
Best Thermostat Settings While Away from Home in Winter
To try and find the best thermostat setting for a winter getaway, 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 prevent ice from forming on pipes while limiting how long your furnace runs.
Smart Thermostats Are Even Better: Advantages of Smart Thermostat Installation
One of the best ways to regulate your home’s HVAC system while away from home is by investing in a smart thermostat. This special type of programmable thermostat employs intelligent software to understand your typical comfort habits. It applies these preferences and makes automatic adjustments to the schedule for maximum energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi compatibility, you can remotely adjust your HVAC system with a smartphone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are stuffed with features to help you save on your energy bill. To provide an example, some models can track electricity prices to bolster heating or cooling when prices are more affordable. They can also work with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to fine-tune how long your HVAC system should run. It’s the optimal tool to simplify how you use your comfort system. If you’re considering investing in a smart thermostat, there are different ways you can lower 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 away from home.