How To Save Energy While You’re On Vacation
It’s finally here, or it soon will be. You’re headed to the beach or to the mountains, or just to a nearby destination to relax for a few days. All you want to do is get away from work and or the office, prop your feet up and forget about everything except taking it easy. Before you head out, take a couple of minutes to do a few things that will save you money while you are gone.
If your home is going to be empty for a few days, there is no need to keep your home at your “normal” comfortable temperature while you are gone. Even If the outside temperature is expected to be hot while you are gone, you can raise the temperature inside your home several degrees and save money on energy costs while you’re on vacation.
Programable Thermostats
The easiest way to maintain temperature inside your home is with a programmable thermostat. Use your programmable thermostat and its pre-programmed set points to reduce the operation of your cooling system while you’re away. The thermostat can be set to provide a small amount of cooling during the day so that the interior of your home doesn’t get too hot. It can automatically shut cooling down even more at night while you’re away. Keeping your thermostat set 10 degrees higher above your “normal” temperature will allow your home not to overheat while you are gone and will save you money on your energy bill.
If you have a “smart” thermostat, you can pre-program the temperature setting to be exactly where you want it to be when you get back from vacation, or, program it on your way home via your smart phone, tablet or Wi-Fi connection.
Unplug Electronics
Another way to save energy and therefore money while you’re away is to unplug energy-using appliances and devices: Before leaving for vacation, make sure to unplug appliances and devices that use standby energy. These can include computers, microwave ovens, stoves, televisions, and entertainment systems. Simply shutting them off will not be enough since they use small amounts of energy to maintain clocks, internal settings, and other features even when turned off. Unplug them completely or plug them all into a power strip that can be switched off when you leave. This not only saves energy, but will also protect you in case there is an electrical storm and/ or power surges while you are away.
Turn Down Water Heater Temperatures
While you’re away on vacation, you won’t need hot water at home, so turning down the temperature settings on the water heater makes sense. Set the thermostat at well below the usual level or, if you are going to be gone for an extended period, shut the water heater off completely.
Close Blinds & Curtains
You might also want to close window blinds and curtains: partially closing window blinds and curtains will help reduce sunshine getting into your home and increasing indoor temperatures. This will help keep the inside of your home cooler and prevent your air conditioner or heat pump from switching on unnecessarily.
By doing these few things, you will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of savings you will see on your energy bill once you get back from vacation.
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Bunn’s & Bennett Heating & Air Conditioning
Bunn’s and Bennet Heating and Air Conditioning is a certified, fully insured heating and air conditioning company located in Huntsville, Alabama. We have been serving Huntsville and the surrounding area for more than 30 years. If you have questions about your heating and air conditioning system, shoot us an email or call us at 256-536-0967. Let us cool your Bunns!
