Between a much-needed vacation or a lengthy trip for work, taking a trip means making plans for your home comfort system. You won’t be using it as long as you’re away, so you can adjust the temperature as necessary to conserve your energy use. Just the same, you don’t want to just leave it off for the entire time you're out of the house.
In general, it’s best to leave your HVAC system on and adjust the temperature depending on the time of year. That way you can lower energy costs without stressing about returning to an uncomfortable home. We’ll walk you through why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the most energy-efficient thermostat settings for different times of year.
This Is Why You Don't Leave Your Thermostat on Hold
While you could be wanting to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this can end up stirring up annoying problems by the time you return. This is especially true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re away from home.
For instance, switching the HVAC system down in the summer will sometimes lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you have returned, but it could have also invited mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And over the winter, not using the furnace might lead to pipes icing over or even bursting. It’s an awful feeling to return home from a nice trip only to discover considerable water damage near a broken pipe.
Best Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can adjust the temperature even when you're just going to work. Because you’re away for about 8 hours or longer, it doesn’t make sense to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. As a general rule, it’s suggested to turn up the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. Meaning that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, try raising it to 76-77 while you’re at work.
But you may save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. As stated by the Department of Energy, you might save around 10% on your HVAC expenses by increasing the adjustment to 7-10 degrees.
Best Thermostat Settings While on a Trip in Summer
If you’re leaving for a longer trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make larger adjustments. This ensures you don’t waste energy while still protecting your home from the issues that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. Around 5 degrees is appropriate for shorter trips while around 10 degrees is ideal if you’ll be gone for 2 weeks or longer. If you prefer keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 should offer beneficial results.
Best Thermostat Settings While Away from Home in Winter
To determine the ideal thermostat setting for a winter vacation, just lower the temperature by the same amount you would adjust it in summer. 68 is a frequent winter thermostat setting, so adjusting to 63-58 will prevent ice from forming on pipes while limiting how often your furnace runs.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Perks of Smart Thermostat Installation
A great way to manage your home’s HVAC system while away from home is by investing in a smart thermostat. This innovative type of programmable thermostat employs intelligent software to track your typical comfort habits. It gradually understands these preferences and makes automatic changes to the schedule for better energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can remotely access your HVAC system using a smartphone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are packed with features to help you save even more. For example, certain models can observe electricity prices to increase heating or cooling when prices are lower. They can be used with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to refine how long your HVAC system has to run. It’s the perfect tool to enhance how you use your comfort system. If you’re planning on investing in a smart thermostat, there are a variety of ways you can bring down your costs, essentially 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 stir up any trouble while you’re away.