Headed out on a Vacation? Save Energy While You’re Away July 15, 2015

Heading out for summer vacation can be an exciting time for every member of your family. However, one thing you don’t want to have to worry about during vacation time is whether or not your energy bills are being unnecessarily increased by wasting energy at home. Here are some practical tips for how to save energy during summer vacation so you can enjoy your time away.

• Use your programmable thermostat:Use your programmable thermostat and its pre-programmed set points to reduce the operation of your cooling system while you’re away. The thermostat can be set to provide a small amount cooling during the day so that the interior of your home doesn’t get too hot. It can automatically shut cooling down even more at night while you’re away.
• Unplug energy-using appliances and devices:Before leaving for vacation, make sure to unplug appliances and devices that use standby energy. These can include computers, microwave ovens, stoves, televisions, and entertainment systems. Simply shutting them off will not be enough since they use small amounts of energy to maintain clocks, internal settings, and other features even when turned off. Unplug them completely or plug them all into a power strip that can be switched off when you leave.
• Turn down the water heater:While you’re away on vacation, you won’t need hot water at home, so turning down the temperature settings on the water heater makes sense. Set the thermostat at well below the usual level or, if you are going to be gone for an extended period, shut the water heater off completely.
• Close window blinds and curtains:Partially closing window blinds and curtains will help reduce sunshine getting into your home and increasing indoor temperatures. This will help keep the inside of your home cooler and prevent your air conditioner or heat pump from switching on unnecessarily.

For more than 53 years, Conditioned Air has been providing expert heating, cooling, and indoor air quality services to customers in Naples and throughout the surrounding communities in southwest Florida. Contact us today for more information on how to save energy during summer vacation.