August 12, 2014
Leaving home for vacation can be stressful. You’re worried about delayed flights, summer traffic, and your kids that refuse to pack (even though you’ve been telling them to for days.) To top it all off, you’re worried about leaving your Ocean County house and wasting energy on a place that you won’t be living in.
The good news is that you don’t have to. In the frantic preparation for summer vacation, saving energy is often overlooked. But with a few simple tips from Tom Rostron Heating and Air, you can be saving energy and money.
#1 Efficient Air Conditioning and Heating Systems
While it might not seem it, having efficient heating and cooling systems in your home can save you a lot of money while you’re gone. If your air conditioner is inefficient, it’s using up a lot more time and money to cool your home. Whether it means a tune up, or installing a new, energy efficient AC system, investing in better AC equipment now will result in savings down the road. Many new AC units come with built-in timers so your AC systems isn’t running all day while you’re not around.
During the winter when you’re headed off to someplace warm but don’t want your pipes bursting from the cold, an energy efficient mini-split or reliable furnace operating at full capacity will give you peace of mind. Efficient systems require less time and energy to keep the house at a comfortable temperature, so you can save your hard-earned money for the beach.
When it’s time to leave, make sure you set your systems to run efficiently. Avoid setting them to run all day, heating or cooling a space that no one’s in. Run them enough to keep your home at a safe temperature.
#2 Programmable Thermostats
The advancements in programmable thermostats over the past couple years allow you ultimate control over your home. The big box with a button to adjust the temperature up, and a button for to adjust it down is a relic of the past. New thermostats, such as the programmable ones made by Honeywell, allow for a high level of control over your home for improved efficiency.
How do these help you while you’re on vacation? We’re glad you asked.
You can set your thermostat to turn on the heat or air conditioning at specific times during the day. You shouldn’t have to worry about them running all day. Know there’s a heat wave coming up while you’re away? Just set your AC to turn on for a few hours during the middle of the day when the heat is at it’s worst, keeping your home cool without wasting energy.
Better yet, some models even allow you to change the settings from your phone. So while you’re lying on the beach, you can turn the heat on or off without lifting a finger (except the one). If your thermostat doesn’t let you do any of this, maybe it’s time for a new one. Don’t miss out on an easy and simple way to save money!
#3 Keeping the robbers away
We know, talking about it jinxes it, but it’s too important to not address. People often think that when they go away, it’s best practice to leave a light on to keep any burglars from thinking you’re out of town. However, this is a common misconception. When someone looking to rob your home sees a light is on 24 hours a day, even at 3 in the morning, it’s an indication you’re gone.
So what should you do? Luckily there’s an easy solution: light timers. With a timer that you plug into the outlet and plug your lamp into, you can set it to turn on between a specific period of day. Just set it to turn on in the late afternoon and turn off around ten when you usually go to bed. Not only does it replicate normal patterns of occupancy, but it saves you money on the electricity bills!
Now get out there, and enjoy vacation!
Vacations are great, and there’s no need for you to be stressing about the energy your home is using up while you’re gone. We understand, you love your home, and why wouldn’t you — Ocean and Monmouth counties are great places to live. But leaving can be a great opportunity to save energy! Simple steps like the ones outlined above, or making sure all your windows have shades to keep the heat out can reduce your costs exponentially during your next break.
We wouldn’t recommend it if we didn’t do it ourselves. Now go enjoy yourself! What time is it? It’s vacation time.
