From a tropical vacation or a long trip for work, traveling means making preparations for your HVAC system. You don't need it if you’re away, so you can adjust it as appropriate to conserve your energy use. Just the same, you shouldn't just shut it down for the entire duration of your trip.
For the most part, it’s best to leave your HVAC system on and just raise or lower depending on the season. That way you can reduce energy costs without worrying about returning to an uncomfortable home. We’ll review why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the most energy-efficient thermostat settings for summer and winter.
Here’s Why You Don't Leave Your Thermostat Alone
While you might be inclined to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this could end up leading to annoying problems by the time you come back. This is particularly true if the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re away from home.
For example, turning the HVAC system off during the summer could cause 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 over the winter, leaving the furnace off might lead to pipes icing over or even bursting. It’s an awful feeling to come home from a nice trip only to discover considerable water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can adjust the temperature even if you’re coming and going to work. Because you’re out of the house 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 encouraged to turn up the thermostat by 5 degrees or so. Meaning that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, consider adjusting it to 76-77 while you’re out.
But you could save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you could save nearly 10% on your HVAC costs by increasing the adjustment to 7-10 degrees.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While Away from Home in Summer
If you're on a longer trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make bigger adjustments. This helps you avoid using too much energy while still safeguarding your home from the hassles that come with leaving it uncooled. About 5 degrees is suitable for short trips while closer to 10 degrees is ideal if you’ll be gone for 2 weeks or more. If you enjoy keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 will offer the best results.
Recommended Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Winter
To try and find the ideal thermostat setting for a winter getaway, simply lower it by the same amount you would adjust it in summer. 68 is a common winter thermostat setting, so turning it down to 63-58 will prevent ice from forming on pipes while minimizing how often your furnace runs.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Benefits of a Smart Thermostat
One of the best ways to optimize your home’s HVAC system while away from home is with a smart thermostat. This advanced type of programmable thermostat uses intelligent software to monitor your usual comfort habits. It gradually understands these preferences and makes automatic corrections to the schedule for maximum energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi compatibility, you can remotely access your heating and cooling from a mobile device or tablet.
Smart thermostats are loaded with features to help you save on your energy bill. For instance, some models can observe electricity prices to bolster heating or cooling when prices are lowest. They can also work with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to optimize how long your HVAC system needs to run. It’s the optimal tool to streamline 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 are away from home, you can receive true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t stir up any trouble while you’re away from home.
