September 13, 2024
Preparing your home for your absence during a vacation is an essential part of holiday planning. Keeping tabs on your thermostat settings is an important part of getting ready. Saving money on energy bills and keeping your house at a comfortable temperature are both possible with well-adjusted thermostats.
Preparing Your HVAC System for Short Trips
To save energy without sacrificing comfort for short trips of a few days to a week, try turning the thermostat up a notch in the summer or down a few degrees in the winter. A good rule of thumb is to keep the thermostat between 78 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. In addition to lowering energy usage, these settings protect your home’s structure from dangerously high and low temperatures. Before you depart, double-check the filters, clean the vents and arrange for any required maintenance on your HVAC system to make sure it is in good operating condition. By getting everything in order before you go, you can rest assured that your system will continue to function smoothly and without hitches.
Ideal Thermostat Settings for Long Vacations
If you’re going to be away for an extended amount of time, you should take precautions against weather extremes that could lead to issues like frozen pipes or high humidity. To avoid frozen pipes and save money on energy bills, keep your thermostat set between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. To prevent mold growth and control humidity levels in the summer, aim for a temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit or above. These settings strike a good mix between reducing energy use and keeping your home safe from harm.
Should You Turn Off Your HVAC System on Vacation?
While it may seem like a smart idea to completely turn off your HVAC system while you’re away, doing so can cause more problems than it solves. Particularly in regions prone to severe weather, turning off your system while away on vacation might lead to unhealthy levels of indoor air pollution and even damage from the heat or cold. Switching to a more energy-efficient thermostat setting is preferable to turning off the system. This method is useful for avoiding issues like excessive humidity in the summer or frozen pipes in the winter by keeping the indoor temperature steady.
Setting Humidity Controls for Extended Vacations
Particularly during long trips, controlling humidity is essential for a healthy indoor climate. Damage to your home’s structure, musty smells and mold growth are all consequences of high humidity levels. To maintain optimal humidity levels, make sure the humidity control on your HVAC system is set to 30% to 50%. This option is particularly useful in the summer because it helps avoid the accumulation of too much moisture. Keeping your home properly humidified throughout the winter can also help avoid problems like static electricity and dry skin. You might consider using separate dehumidifiers or humidifiers to regulate moisture levels if your HVAC system does not have built-in humidity control.
Thermostat Settings for Pets Left at Home
Keeping the temperature consistent while you’re on vacation is vital for pets because, like people, they can get sick from sudden changes. To keep your pets from getting too hot in the summer, keep the temperature at about 78 degrees Fahrenheit. A winter temperature setting of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit will keep them toasty without causing pipes to freeze or wasting too much power. You might also think about getting some cooling mats or fans that are safe for pets to use. You can rest easy knowing your pets are well cared for even when you’re not home by using a smart thermostat or pet monitoring system to check in on their comfort.
What Is Vacation Mode on a Thermostat?
One technique to ensure your house stays at a comfortable temperature even while you’re not there is to set your thermostat to vacation mode. It eliminates the need to fiddle with the thermostat all the time by letting you create a schedule or temperature range that keeps the home comfortable. Plus, by protecting your house from problems like frozen pipes in the winter and extreme heat and humidity in the summer, vacation mode strikes a good balance between energy efficiency and home protection, making it ideal for long periods away.
How to Set Up Vacation Mode on Smart Thermostats
Your thermostat’s app or control panel is the best place to start when setting it to vacation mode. After you choose “Vacation” or “Away” as your vacation mode, enter the dates of your departure and return. For brief getaways, it’s best to keep the thermostat at a reasonable setting (around 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter). In addition to controlling the temperature, many smart thermostats can also adapt the settings depending on weather predictions and alert the user when the temperature changes.
How to Remotely Monitor and Control Your Thermostat
By connecting to your smart thermostat through your computer or mobile device, you can control the temperature and see how it’s changing. When you can regulate and monitor your thermostat from a distance, you can relax and enjoy your trip more. Many models let you configure schedules according to your preferences and give you real-time information and notifications. This function makes it easy to modify your plans or receive alerts about odd temperature changes. The remote monitoring feature comes in very handy when making sure your home is comfortable in case of an unexpected early return.
Energy-Saving Tips Beyond Thermostat Adjustments
One of the most important things you can do to control your energy consumption while you’re away is to raise or lower the thermostat, but there are other things you can do as well. Inspecting for air leaks is part of routine HVAC maintenance that professionals can provide. Sealing windows and doors correctly will minimize air drafts and lessen the strain on your heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Installing programmable or smart thermostats allows for better control over temperature and energy usage. Insulating your home is another option to lessen heating and cooling costs and increase energy efficiency.
Integrating Thermostat With Other Smart Home Automation Systems
Integrating your thermostat with a smart home hub allows you to establish synchronized temperature schedules and get notifications when temperatures go outside your predetermined range. This connectivity enables seamless modifications in response to energy usage patterns and real-time weather forecasts. Smart home systems can also sync with motion detectors and security cameras to keep an eye on your house and change the temperature as needed. This kind of connectivity lets you relax knowing your home is well-protected and at a comfortable temperature even when you’re away.
Scott-Lee Heating Company is here to help you understand how to correctly set your thermostat when you go on vacation. We can also assist with HVAC zoning systems, as well as indoor air quality solutions such as air cleaners and air scrubbers. Contact us today to schedule thermostat calibration in St. Louis, MO.