Between a relaxing vacation or an extended trip for work, taking a trip means making plans for your HVAC system. You don't need it if you’re away, so you can adjust the temperature as necessary to limit your energy use. Just the same, you shouldn't just shut it down for the entire time you're out of the house.

In general, it’s ideal to leave your HVAC system going and adjust the temperature depending on the time of year. That way you can minimize energy costs without stressing about returning to an uncomfortable home. We’ll review why you shouldn’t turn your HVAC system off as well as the best thermostat settings for different times of year.

This Is Why You Avoid Leaving Your Thermostat Alone

While you may be tempted to turn your HVAC system off before a trip, this can end up causing annoying problems by the time you return. This is particularly true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.

For example, shutting the HVAC system down in the summer could lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel gross when you return, but it might have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.

And during the winter, letting your house get cold could lead to pipes freezing up or even bursting. It’s exhausting to get home from a nice trip only to find substantial water damage nearby a broken pipe.

Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work

You can adjust the temperature even as you come and go to work. Since you’re away for 8 hours or more, it doesn’t make sense to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. In general, it’s recommended to turn up the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. That means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, consider increasing it to 76-77 while you’re out.

But you may save even more if you’re willing to further adjust the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you may save around 10% on your HVAC expenses by making an adjustment of 7-10 degrees.

Best Thermostat Settings While on a Trip in Summer

If you're on a longer trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make larger adjustments. This prevents wasting energy while still defending your home from the problems that come with leaving it uncooled. About 5 degrees is suitable for brief trips while around 10 degrees is ideal 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.

Ideal 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 popular winter thermostat setting, so turning it down 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

An ideal strategy to optimize your home’s HVAC system while out of the house is using a smart thermostat. This special type of programmable thermostat uses intelligent software to monitor your preferred comfort habits. It learns these preferences and makes automatic changes to the schedule for higher energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi compatibility, you can remotely access your heating and cooling using a mobile device or tablet.

Smart thermostats are loaded with features to help you save even more. For instance, certain models can monitor electricity prices to boost heating or cooling when prices are lower. They can be used with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to refine how long your HVAC system needs to run. It’s the ideal tool to streamline how you control your comfort system. If you’re considering investing in a smart thermostat, there are multiple ways you can reduce your costs, essentially getting a smart thermostat for free. The next time you are away from home, you can enjoy true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t stir up any trouble while you’re away from home.