Ready for a vacation? Your home should be too! Careful planning can not only help protect your home and your belongings while you travel, but also provide your family with some energy savings to spend on souvenirs! Follow these five simple tips to prepare your home for your absence.
1. Turn Off the Lights
If you decide to keep any of your lights on as a security measure, invest in an automatic timer. It can be programmed to turn on your lights during late evening and early morning hours while preventing wasted energy during the day.
2. Turn Down Your Air Conditioner
While it鈥檚 important to keep the air circulating in your home while you鈥檙e gone, you can drastically cut down on energy usage by turning your thermostat up to 85 degrees. If you have a programmable thermostat, simply use the 鈥渧acation鈥� feature to maintain safe and efficient indoor temperatures while you鈥檙e gone.
3. Unplug Appliances and Electronics
Even when they鈥檙e turned off, anything that鈥檚 plugged into the wall can continue to consume energy. By unplugging your devices or using a smart power strip, you鈥檒l avoid wasting standby power. Don鈥檛 forget to unplug your washer and dryer, too.
4. Adjust Your Water Heater(s)
Turn your water heater down to "low" or to "vacation" mode. If your pool also uses a heater, consider purchasing a pool cover that will help minimize heat loss so that you can avoid the cost to reheat it.
5. Refrigerator
If you鈥檒l only be gone a few days, turn your refrigerator鈥檚 thermostat up a few degrees. If you鈥檒l be gone more than two weeks, clean and empty the refrigerator, prop the door open, and unplug the unit.
Whether it鈥檚 a weekend road-trip or stay at the lake house, remember to follow some of these energy-saving tips to avoid unnecessary expenses while you鈥檙e away. Call ARS庐/Rescue Rooter庐 at 866-399-2885 to set up an appointment with one of our Comfort Advisors who can check your current systems for efficiency improvements!
