Between a much-needed vacation or a long trip for work, traveling means making preparations for your home comfort system. You don't need it if you’re not home, so you can adjust the temperature as needed to minimize your energy use. At the same time, you shouldn't just leave it off for the entire time you're gone.
In general, it’s ideal to leave your HVAC system on and just raise or lower depending on the time of year. That way you can lower energy costs without worrying about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll explain why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the best thermostat settings for summer and winter.
Here’s Why You Avoid Leaving Your Thermostat on Hold
While you may be tempted to leave your HVAC system off before a trip, this could end up stirring up big problems by the time you return. This is notably true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re away from home.
As an example, switching the HVAC system down during the summer can cause very high humidity. Not only will your home feel muggy and uncomfortable when you have returned, but it might have also invited mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And during the winter, letting your house get cold can lead to pipes freezing up or even bursting. It’s an awful feeling to return home from a nice trip only to find substantial water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Best 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 make sense to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. Generally, it’s recommended to turn up the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. Meaning 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 nearly 10% on your HVAC costs by increasing the adjustment to 7-10 degrees.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While on a Trip in Summer
If you're on a longer trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make bigger adjustments. This prevents wasting energy while still safeguarding your home from the problems that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. About 5 degrees is recommended for short trips while a larger adjustment of 10 degrees is worthwhile if you’ll be away from home for 2 weeks or longer. If you enjoy keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 will offer beneficial results.
Best Thermostat Settings While Away from Home in Winter
To determine the best thermostat setting for a winter getaway, consider lowering the temperature by the same amount you would raise it in summer. 68 is a common winter thermostat setting, so turning it down to 63-58 will protect your plumbing while restricting how frequently your furnace runs.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Perks of Smart Thermostat Installation
A great way to optimize your home’s HVAC system while out of the house is with a smart thermostat. This innovative type of programmable thermostat employs intelligent software to monitor your usual comfort habits. It learns these preferences and makes automatic changes to the schedule for better energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi integration, you can remotely adjust your heating and cooling with a mobile device or tablet.
Smart thermostats are packed with features to help you save even more. For example, specific models can monitor electricity prices to bolster heating or cooling when prices are more affordable. They can also work with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to optimize how long your HVAC system should run. It’s the perfect 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, effectively getting a smart thermostat for free. The next time you are away from home, you can appreciate true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t cause any trouble while you’re away from home.