Between a relaxing vacation or a long trip for work, traveling means making preparations for your HVAC system. You don't need it while you’re on a trip, so you can adjust the temperature as needed to conserve your energy use. Simultaneously, you shouldn't just shut it down for the entire time you're gone.
For the most part, it’s best to leave your HVAC system going and just make adjustments depending on the time of year. That way you can minimize energy costs without stressing about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll explain 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 Alone
While you might be inclined to turn your HVAC system off before a trip, this could end up causing costly problems by the time you come back. This is especially true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.
For instance, turning the HVAC system off in the summer will sometimes produce very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you have returned, but it might have also stimulated mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And over the winter, not using the furnace can lead to pipes freezing up or even bursting. It’s exhausting to return home from a vacation only to find considerable water damage near a broken pipe.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can make temperature adjustments even when you're just going to work. Considering you’re not home for about 8 hours or longer, it doesn’t help your monthly energy bill to keep an empty home heated or cooled as if you were there. In general, it’s encouraged to adjust the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. That means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, think about increasing it to 76-77 while you’re gone.
But you could save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. According to the Department of Energy, you ma