Whether it’s a relaxing vacation or a lengthy trip for work, taking a trip means making preparations for your HVAC system. You don't need it while you’re not home, so you can adjust it as appropriate to limit your energy use. Just the same, you don’t want to just shut it down for the entire duration of your trip.
Instead, it’s better to leave your HVAC system running and just raise or lower depending on the time of year. That way you can reduce energy costs without worrying about coming back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll walk you through why you should avoid turning your HVAC system off as well as the ideal thermostat settings for summer and winter.
Here’s Why You Don't Leave Your Thermostat on Hold
While you might be inclined to turn your HVAC system off before a trip, this will sometimes end up leading to annoying problems by the time you come back. This is particularly true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re gone.
For example, switching the HVAC system off during the summer can lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you have returned, but it could have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And in the winter, not using the furnace might lead to pipes icing over or even bursting. It’s exhausting to get home from a nice trip only to discover extensive water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can optimize the temperature even if you’re coming and going to work. Because you’re away for about 8 hours or longer, it doesn’t seem sensible to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. In general, it’s encouraged to adjust the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. Meaning that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, think about adjusting it to 76-77 while you’re at work.
But you can save even more if you’re willing to further adjust the temperature. As stated by the Department of Energy, you might save around 10% on your HVAC spending by making an adjustment of 7-10 degrees.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While Away from Home in Summer
If you leave for a longer trip in the middle of summer, you can make more significant adjustments. This helps you avoid using too much energy while still safeguarding your home from the issues that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. About 5 degrees is appropriate for short trips while closer to 10 degrees is worthwhile 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 beneficial results.
Recommended Thermostat Settings While On a Trip in Winter
To try and find the best thermostat setting for a winter vacation, consider lowering the temperature by the same amount you would increase it in summer. 68 is a common 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: Perks of a Smart Thermostat
One of the best ways to optimize your home’s HVAC system while out of the house is by investing in a smart thermostat. This special type of programmable thermostat uses intelligent software to monitor your preferred comfort habits. It gradually understands these preferences and makes automatic corrections to the schedule for higher energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi integration, you can remotely control your heating and cooling using a smart device like a phone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are loaded with features to help you save energy and lower costs. For example, certain models can monitor electricity prices to bolster heating or cooling when prices are lowest. They can also work with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to fine-tune how long your HVAC system needs to run. It’s the perfect tool to streamline how you use your comfort system. If you’re considering investing in a smart thermostat, there are a variety of ways you can lower 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.