Whether it’s a much-needed vacation or an extended trip for work, leaving home means making plans for your home comfort system. You won’t be using it as long as you’re away, so you can adjust it as needed to minimize your energy use. Simultaneously, you don’t want to just shut it down for the entire time you're out of the house.

For the most part, it’s better to leave your HVAC system on and just raise or lower depending on the time of year. That way you can lower energy costs without worrying about returning to an uncomfortable home. We’ll review 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 Avoid Leaving Your Thermostat on Hold

While you may be tempted to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this will sometimes end up stirring up annoying problems by the time you come back. 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 off during the summer can lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel gross when you have returned, but it could have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.

And during the winter, letting your house get cold will sometimes lead to pipes freezing or even bursting. It’s exhausting to get home from a vacation only to discover substantial water damage nearby a broken pipe.

Ideal Thermostat Settings While at Work

You can make temperature adjustments even when you're just going to work. Considering 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. Generally, it’s recommended to turn up the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. That means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, try adjusting it to 76-77 while you’re at work.

But you may save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you may save around 10% on your HVAC spending by raising the temperature by about 7-10 degrees.

Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While on a Trip in Summer

If you're on a longer trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make bigger adjustments. This prevents wasting energy while still defending your home from the hassles that come with leaving it without air conditioning. Around 5 degrees is suitable for short trips while around 10 degrees is ideal if you’ll be out of town for 2 weeks or more. If you prefer keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 can offer the best results.

Ideal Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Winter

To figure out the ideal thermostat setting for a winter vacation, just lower the temperature by the same amount you would raise it in summer. 68 is a common winter thermostat setting, so lowering it to 63-58 will prevent ice from forming on pipes while restricting how often your furnace runs.

Smart Thermostats Are Even Better: Perks of Smart Thermostat Installation

A great way to manage your home’s HVAC system while away from home is by investing in a smart thermostat. This special type of programmable thermostat uses intelligent software to track your preferred comfort habits. It learns these preferences and makes automatic changes to the schedule for maximum energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi integration, you can remotely access your heating and cooling using a smartphone or tablet.

Smart thermostats are loaded with features to help you save on your energy bill. For example, certain models can track electricity prices to bolster heating or cooling when prices are more affordable. They can be used with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to fine-tune how long your HVAC system should run. It’s the ideal tool to simplify how you control your comfort system. If you’re considering investing in a smart thermostat, there are a variety of ways you can lower your costs, in essence getting a smart thermostat for free. The next time you are away from home, you can receive true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t stir up any trouble while you’re away from home.