Is it time for that well-deserved vacation? Are you heading out of town for a holiday celebration or a wedding? No matter why you’re traveling, take a few moments to prepare your home for energy conservation while you’re away. You’ll reduce home energy costs, avoiding a surprisingly high energy bill after you return to your Dayton area home. Before you leave your home empty during summer:
- Power off your air conditioner or heat pump – If there’s something in the house that could suffer heat damage, set the thermostat at 80 to 85 degrees. If left on, your A/C running time will depend on the outdoor temperature and factors like how much window-glass you may have (especially on the south side of the house) and the amount of insulation in the home.
- Shut off the hot-water heater – Cut power at the circuit breaker; otherwise energy will be wasted keeping water in the tank hot until you return. This warning does not apply to tankless units. Before flipping the breaker back on when you return, run some water from the hot faucet fixture to ensure that there’s water remaining in your tank.
- Empty the refrigerator, unplugging it if possible – Manually-defrosted units can work twice as hard as they normally do when you’re on vacation. You can expect automatic-defrost units to use an extra 20 or even 30 percent energy, attempting to maintain proper food temperature when the home gets hotter. If feasible, empty it, propping the door open to avoid mold.
- Clean out freezers too – Freezers can erase any cost savings from having turned the A/C thermostat up or off.
- Unplug electronics – TVs and computers may use power, even when they’re turned off, plus they’re vulnerable to damaging power surges if left plugged in.
- Lighting – Make sure to set timers to turn lighting on and off for energy savings with some security protection.
Questions about how you can reduce home energy costs while you’re away? Contact the local experts at Ace Hardware Home Services. We’re happy to provide professional advice. Visit our website for information or give us a call.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about reducing home energy costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Ace Hardware Home Services services the Ohio’s Miami Valley. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
