As summer approaches, homeowners start to think about leaving their home for a vacation. While you may have a great deal of practice of canceling your newspaper and the other preparations for your vacation, you may wonder whether you should turn your AC off or leave it on while you’re away. There are several factors you’ll need to consider, so here we’ll explore the topic further, so you have all the details you need to make an informed decision.
Assess the Length of Your Vacation
Leaving your home for a day or two is very different than being away for several weeks. If you will only be gone for a weekend, it is a good idea to leave your air conditioning on, but set the temperature higher. Cooling a home to your usual comfort levels when its empty wastes energy, but you can keep the humidity under control and prevent your home from becoming excessively hot. This will make it easier to bring the home back to your preferred comfort level when you return home.
If you’re planning on being away for more than a week, it is a good idea to turn off your air conditioner. This will save energy that would be wasted keeping the home cool with no one there to enjoy it.
There are some ways to keep your home cooler leaving your AC running including drawing your curtains to block the afternoon sun and having a programmable smart thermostat that allows you to switch your AC on when you’re on your way home, so it feels comfortable and cool when you arrive back.
Other Considerations
Along with the length of your vacation, there are other factors that will help you to determine whether you should leave your AC on while you’re away. The local forecast for your area will help you to determine if you should leave your air conditioning on. If the weather is forecast to be mild, there is minimal risk that heat will build up, but if your home will be hit by scorching weather, you may need your air conditioning to prevent your home overheating.
You also need to consider whether your home will be entirely empty. Although all the humans may be going away, if you’re leaving your pets in the home, you need to ensure that they are comfortable.
Protecting Other Areas of Your Home
Keeping air circulating around your home while you’re on vacation will help to keep the humidity down. Moisture does hold heat, making it harder to cool your home down when you return. Additionally, the extra moisture may cause problems in other areas of your home. Excessive humidity can encourage mold growth and cause damage to drywall, wooden doors, cabinetry, and flooring. So, if you are concerned that your home may be at risk of damage while you’re away, it may be worth leaving your air conditioning running set at a higher temperature.
If you have concerns about leaving your air conditioner running while you’re on vacation, it is worth speaking to your HVAC technician. An experienced specialist can assess your air conditioner and help you to make the decision whether you should leave it on or switch it off when you’re away.