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Tips to Remember Before You Go On Vacation
Summer is a great time to take a vacation and just get
away from it all. However, unless you take action, the
appliances and electronic devices in your home will not
get a break, and your next month's energy bill may be
business as usual. Before you leave on your next trip,
take a few minutes and follow these simple steps. You
can minimize energy consumption in your empty house and
maybe save a few dollars for your next vacation.
Water Heater - Unless you have a tankless unit,
your water heater will keep on running (and costing you
money) to keep the water warm until you get back. Turn
down the setting to as low as possible to reduce this
"standby" heat loss while you are away.
Refrigerator - Your refrigerator is one of the
biggest energy users in a typical home. If you are leaving
for a short period of time, change the refrigerator
thermostat to a higher setting: 38º for the refrigerator,
5º for the freezer. For longer trips (such as four
weeks or more) consider emptying your refrigerator and
unplugging it.
Air Conditioner - There is no need to keep your
house cool while you are sitting on the beach hundreds of
miles away. Turn off your air conditioner or set the
thermostat to 85º or higher. To avoid coming home
to an overheated house, use a programmable thermostat and
set it on vacation mode to re-cool your house shortly
before your expected return.
Lights - Turn off all lights in your home before
you leave. You may wish to maintain an outdoor or indoor
light for nighttime security. Consider installing a timer.
This will limit the illumination to only a few hours a day
and help to make it appear as if someone is at home.
Electronics - There may be a "phantom load" haunting
your empty home (and costing you money) while you are away.
Turning off electronic devices is a good energy savings
strategy, but remember, digital displays, instant-on
features, and remote controls consume energy while not
in use. Unplug all electronic devices while you are away.
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