Whether it’s a much-needed vacation or a lengthy trip for work, traveling means making plans for your HVAC system. You won’t be using it as long as you’re not home, so you can adjust the temperature as appropriate to conserve your energy use. Just the same, you shouldn't just shut it down for the entire duration of your trip.

For the most part, it’s ideal to leave your HVAC system running and adjust the temperature depending on the time of year. That way you can minimize energy costs without worrying about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll explain why you should leave your HVAC system on as well as the most energy-efficient thermostat settings for summer and winter.

This Is Why You Don't Leave Your Thermostat Alone

While you might be inclined to turn your HVAC system off before a trip, this can end up leading to annoying problems by the time you get back. This is notably true when the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.

For example, switching the HVAC system down during the summer could lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you come back, but it may have also stimulated mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.

And in the winter, not using the furnace might lead to pipes freezing or even bursting. It’s an awful feeling to return home from a nice trip only to come across substantial water damage near a broken pipe.

Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work

You can optimize the temperature even as you come and go to work. Because you’re out of the house for around 8 hours or so, it doesn’t seem sensible to keep an empty home heated or cooled as if you were there. As a general rule, it’s suggested to raise the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. That means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, think about adjusting it to 76-77 while you’re at work.

But you could save even more if you’re willing to further adjust the temperature. As stated by the Department of Energy, you may save about 10% on your HVAC costs by raising the temperature by about 7-10 degrees.

Ideal Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Summer

If you’re leaving for an extended trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make more significant adjustments. This ensures you don’t waste energy while still protecting your home from the problems that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. Around 5 degrees is suitable for short trips while around 10 degrees is ideal if you’ll be away from home for 2 weeks or longer. If you prefer keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 will offer the best results.

Ideal Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Winter

To figure out the ideal thermostat setting for a winter vacation, consider lowering the temperature by the same amount you would raise it in summer. 68 is a popular winter thermostat setting, so adjusting to 63-58 will protect your plumbing while restricting how often your furnace runs.

A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Benefits of Smart Thermostat Installation

An ideal strategy to optimize your home’s HVAC system while out of the house is with a smart thermostat. This innovative type of programmable thermostat uses intelligent software to monitor your typical comfort habits. It applies these preferences and makes automatic adjustments to the schedule for better energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can remotely control your heating and cooling with a smart device like a phone or tablet.

Smart thermostats are loaded with features to help you save energy and lower costs. For example, specific models can monitor electricity prices to bolster heating or cooling when prices are lower. They are compatible with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to fine-tune how long your HVAC system has to run. It’s the perfect tool to enhance how you control your comfort system. If you’re planning on 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 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 from home.