Prepare Your Home For Your Vacation With These Energy Efficiency Tips
Just the idea of going on vacation conjures up thoughts of getting away from the humdrum of everyday life. Planning your holiday can be exciting and fun with the variety of details going into creating a to-do-list. For instance, your focus may be on the destination, season for travel, and even the clothing you’ll take with you.
Your calendar will likely include the date you will embark on your journey. This will allow you to count the days until vacation begins. Nevertheless, don’t forget about getting your home ready for the time you will be away. Energy efficiency is just as important while you’re away as when you are right there in your home.
Effective Energy Tips While On Vacation
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Today, we are going to discuss ways that you can reduce energy costs even when you are not at home.
A large chunk of your monthly income is tied up in paying energy bills, but you can reduce that expense even while on vacation. A lot of people believe that energy usage automatically goes down just because they are not home using the HVAC system or turning on gadgets. While that may be true to some extent, you can do a lot more to create a more energy efficient home while you’re away on vacation.
Ways To Heat Or Cool Your Home While You’re Away
There is no need to maintain your home at normal temperature while on vacation because there is no one there to benefit from it. During the summer, just turn the thermostat to the off position.
During the winter, though, you should never turn the heating system off entirely. You’ll want to turn it down to around 50 degrees to prevent appliances and pipes from freezing.
If you have a programmable thermostat, then you can program it to automatically warm or cool your home so that when you return, it will be comfortable for you and your family. However, be sure to close curtains and blinds before leaving for vacation to ensure that heat is not lost during winter or gained in the summer season.
As always, one way to make your HVAC system run more efficiently is by scheduling professional maintenance for your air conditioner and heating system on an annual basis. By tuning up your HVAC system, you can pay less on your home’s energy costs while enjoying an enhanced level of comfort and indoor air quality. It also helps keep HVAC repair costs and premature HVAC system replacements at bay. Be sure to call Hart Home Comfort today to schedule an appointment.
Adjust Your Water Heater Before Leaving
When leaving on vacation, most people forget to forget about turning the water heater off to conserve energy. In the summer, just turn the gas valve to the off position or turn the circuit breaker to the water heater off. Of course, during winter, it is better just to lower the setting to prevent damage from freezing. To make sure that there is water in the pipe and tank when you get home, let the water run for a time before turning the water heater back on.
By following these easy energy saving tips, you will help reduce your home’s energy usage while you are away.
Appliance And Gadget Preparation
Appliances, like the refrigerator, use a lot of electricity while you are away for several weeks at a time. Therefore, the best tactic is to empty the fridge, clean it, and allow to dry. Then, place a box of baking soda inside to deal with any moisture that might accumulate while you are away. Doing so will prevent mold from developing. Of course, you could also clear out any perishables and place the temperature setting at 40 degrees and the freezer at 5 degrees.
Even though you have switched gadgets and appliances off, they can still use energy. So, to stop this drain on energy and reduce your expense, just unplug them from the outlet. You can do this by going into each room and unplug them one at a time.
Some gadgets that many people forget to unplug because they are typically in use right up until the time they are ready to leave the home are the television, computer and gaming console. Set a reminder to turn these off just before walking out the door.
In addition to saving energy, you will also be keeping your home safer while you’re away by reducing the chance of damage from power surges that can result in setting a fire. Investing in an automatic timer for your lights will reduce the amount of electricity used by turning them on at specific times instead of leaving them on all the time to leave the impression that someone is home.
Conclusion
For high-quality heating and cooling solutions, you need to use an HVAC company with a reputation for being reliable and trustworthy. Call Hart Home Comfort and arrange for expert services from a company you can trust. We offer HVAC services at honest prices. Our technicians are NATE certified with the experience needed to perform services on all HVAC systems.
Other services we offer include; heating oil and propane deliveries, installation of house generators and much more. You can count on Hart Home Comfort to do everything possible to ensure that during your experience with us, you feel respected and taken seriously. We guarantee you will be satisfied, so give us a call to learn more!
For any questions about what Hart Home Comfort can do for you, give us a call today. Click here to contact us now or call us at (631) 667-3200 to find out more!