Between a tropical vacation or an extended trip for work, taking a trip means making plans for your heating and cooling system. You can't use it if you’re on a trip, so you can make adjustments as appropriate to minimize your energy use. Simultaneously, you don’t want to just turn it off for the entire time you're gone.
For the most part, it’s best to leave your HVAC system on and adjust the temperature depending on whether it's winter or summer. That way you can minimize energy costs without having to worry about coming back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll review why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the ideal thermostat settings for various times of year.
This Is Why You Don't Leave Your Thermostat on Hold
While you might be inclined to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this can end up stirring up costly problems by the time you come back. This is especially true if the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re gone.
For instance, shutting the HVAC system off in the summer could lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you come back, but it may have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And in the winter, not using the furnace could lead to pipes freezing or even bursting. It’s never fun to come home from a long trip only to discover substantial water damage near a broken pipe.
Best Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can adjust the temperature even as you come and go to work. Considering you’re away for 8 hours or more, it doesn’t make sense to keep an empty home the same temperature as when you're home. As a general rule, it’s recommended to raise the thermostat by 5 degrees or so. That means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, try raising it to 76-77 while you’re gone.
But you can save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. As stated by the Department of Energy, you could save nearly 10% on your HVAC costs by making an adjustment of 7-10 degrees.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While Away from Home in Summer
If you're on a longer trip in the middle of summer, you can make bigger adjustments. This helps you avoid using too much energy while still safeguarding your home from the issues that come with leaving it uncooled. About 5 degrees is suitable for shorter trips while closer to 10 degrees is worthwhile if you’ll be away from home for 2 weeks or more. If you prefer keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 should offer great results.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While On a Trip in Winter
To try and find the ideal thermostat setting for a winter getaway, consider lowering the temperature by the same amount you would increase it in summer. 68 is a popular winter thermostat setting, so lowering it to 63-58 will keep your plumbing safe while minimizing how often your furnace runs.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Advantages of Smart Thermostat Installation
A great way to optimize your home’s HVAC system while away from home is using a smart thermostat. This innovative type of programmable thermostat employs intelligent software to understand your typical 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 with a smartphone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are packed with features to help you save energy and lower costs. To provide an example, certain models can track electricity prices to bolster heating or cooling when prices are lowest. They can be used with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to optimize how long your HVAC system should run. It’s the perfect tool to streamline how you use your comfort system. If you’re planning on 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.