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4 Quick AC Tips to Save Money When You’re Away on Vacay
Many people go on vacation in the summer months and there’s conflicting advice as to what to do with your air conditioner. Should you leave it set at its normal temperature, turn it off altogether or turn it up a few degrees?
The team at Getzschman Heating and Air Conditioning is here to answer that question and more, and offer a few tips to save you money while you’re away. Here are four quick air conditioning tips that will save you money while you’re on vacation:
Leave Your Air Conditioner On
Many homeowners think that turning off the air conditioner will save them the most money. However, this is not the case. Part of your air conditioner’s job is to remove humidity from the air. If you turn it off, humidity builds up in your home.
When you return, your system will have to work extra hard to get that humidity out of the air, making you feel uncomfortable and sticky instead of cool and comfortable when you arrive home. In some cases, excess humidity and heat can even lead to mold growth. In short, don’t turn your AC off.
Related Read: Why a Bigger AC Unit Isn’t Better
Turn the Thermostat Up a Few Degrees
If you’re away, you don’t have to keep your home at a temperature that’s comfortable for people, as no people will be in your home. However, setting the temperature up a few degrees can help your air conditioner to work less, which will save you some money.
The U.S. Department of Energy reports that you can save as much as 1% on your utility bills for every degree you bump the temperature up*. Your system will use less energy, but it will still keep humidity levels low.
*if the setback period is at least eight hours
Related Read: How to Keep Your Bedroom Cooler at Night
Programmable Thermostats Save Money
Programmable thermostats make saving money easy. You can set it for whatever temperature you’d like and keep it there while you’re gone. Plus, you can program it to lower the temperature a few hours before you return so you home is cool and comfy when you get back from your big break.
Programmable thermostats make controlling the temperature in your home super easy. You just set it and forget it!
Keep Your Blinds Closed
Don’t forget to close your blinds when you’re away. This will not only keep people from seeing inside your home, which is a good thing while you’re away, but it will also keep your home from accumulating heat from the sun (solar gain).
It’s simple, but will definitely help keep your home cooler and your air conditioner working at a minimum to keep it that way.