By Jordan Watts
The bags are packed, the car is loaded, and you’re about to lock the door. It’s time for a vacation! There’s just one thing left to do before you’re on your way: set the thermostat. But what are the best settings to keep your electricity bill low while you’re traveling?
In this blog we’ll break down our top recommendations for ensuring that you return home feeling rested and rejuvenated without breaking the bank while you’re away.
Modern thermostats control the temperature and humidity of your home, activating components of the central HVAC system according to fluctuations. Depending on whether you're traveling during the summer or winter you’ll want to make sure you set the thermostat to a temperature that reduces the need for your HVAC system to run in order to minimize your electricity bill.
During the summer months you don’t have to worry about frozen pipes, but you should pay attention to humidity levels. This is because your central HVAC not only cools your home, it also controls humidity.
The best thermostat setting for summer vacation is between 80 and 85°. Humidity control is key to keeping mold and mildew to a minimum in your home so while warmer temperatures can help reduce your electricity bill, turning it off completely can create long term problems.
When you get home, the most energy efficient temperature in the summer is around 72-76°. While this might seem a little toasty, it’ll help keep your home comparatively cool without breaking the bank.
On winter vacation, you’ll want to make sure you don’t face an issue with frozen pipes when you return. Even the warmest places see random cold fronts, so it’s important that you do not turn your heat all the way off for an extended period. Instead you should reduce the temperature in your home to save on electricity bills without creating an expensive plumbing problem.
The best thermostat setting for winter vacation is 50°. If you live in an area that typically sees snow and freezing temperatures you might want to consider a slightly warmer temperature, but 60° is more than warm enough. If you’re worried about frozen pipes leaving cabinet doors open underneath your kitchen and bathroom sink will allow warm air to reach these pipes easily. Also, make sure you turn off and drain the water from outside faucets before you leave town.
Remember, house size and layout also play a role in air circulation and heating. In larger homes, where rooms are more spread out, warm air can’t reach every corner so the risk of a frozen pipe runs higher. To combat this, you’ll want to make sure your pipes are properly insulated at the beginning of winter.
When you get home, you can cozy up knowing that your home is running at an energy efficient temperature between 68 and 72°.
While turning your thermostat off during vacation might seem like a good way to save money, this is not recommended. HVAC experts warn that you should never completely shut off your heating or air conditioning system while you’re away because it can lead to a variety of problems in the long run.
In the summer, your HVAC system helps to regulate the humidity in your house so turning it off can cause problems with mold and warping. On the other hand, turning your thermostat off in the winter can lead to frozen pipes.
Many folks prefer to leave their pets at home while traveling to help them maintain their normal routine. If you have a full time house or pet sitter you’ll obviously want to take their comfort into account when setting the thermostat before you leave. Even if you just have a friend popping in to check on your fur babies though, it’s important that you take into account your pet’s comfort.
According to veterinarians, if you have dogs the recommended vacation thermostat settings are no lower than 60° in winter and no higher than 82° in summer. Cats, on the other hand, lean a little warmer and require environments no colder than 70° in the winter or hotter than 88° in the summer.
If you have exotic or aquatic pets, ask your veterinarian for their recommendations to ensure they stay safe and healthy.
If you have a “smart” thermostat that connects to wifi and can be programmed remotely, consider setting up “vacation mode” for your home. This will allow you to not only set the ideal temperature while you’re away but also remotely adjust the temperature when you’re on your way home. No more coming home to a sauna after a week at the beach!
Smart thermostats also allow you to adjust remotely in the case of a surprise weather event. If the cold front blowing through is harsher than expected you can bump the heat up a few degrees to keep the pipes from freezing or vice versa if the humid gets to be too much. Today many of these thermostats will even alert you if there’s an unexpected environmental change, like higher than usual temperatures or increased moisture— ensuring that you don’t come home to a headache.
While your HVAC system is typically the biggest contributor to your electricity bill, it’s not the only thing sucking up power while you’re away. Many appliances continue to use power even when they’re turned off. Consider the following energy efficiency tips to help ensure that you can put more money towards your next vacation and less towards your power bill.
Before you leave on your next vacation make sure that you’ve set yourself up to save on power bills while you’re away!
