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Taking a vacation this summer? Join the crowd!
According to Forbes, six out of 10 Americans are planning to travel at least once this summer, in spite of inflation and gas prices.
If you’re concerned about your summer vacation expenses, we’ve compiled five ideas to help you save money on your energy costs so you can relax and enjoy the trip.
During the summer, cooling accounts for roughly half of your home’s energy costs. By switching your air conditioning to 85°F when you’re gone for more than a day, you’ll save money! Before returning home, set your smart or programmable thermostat to go back to your preferred temperature several hours before you arrive so that the air is comfortable when you get home. Closing curtains and blinds can help keep your home from overheating as well as prevent people from peeking into your home when you’re not there.
Energy vampires are all over your home. Computers, TVs, media players, ovens, gaming systems, coffeemakers, toasters, multicookers, blenders, electric toothbrushes, and phone chargers, are examples of energy vampires. These devices are known as such because they’re constantly sucking up energy, even when they’re not in use. Before you go, unplug or turn off any of these you can.
A vacation mode is included in most modern water heaters. This lowers the temperature setting so that the water heater doesn’t run as frequently while you’re gone, but it heats up quickly when you reset it after your return.
If your water heater does not have a vacation setting, set it to low. Water heating makes up about 20% of home energy use, so turning it down while you’re gone can help you with your energy costs.
Want to keep saving money on your water heating even after your vacation? Set your water heater to 120˚ Fahrenheit rather than the manufacturer’s setting of 140˚. Your water will still be hot, but you will save up to 10% on your water heating energy costs. The lower temperature reduces the risk of scalding as well, especially for children and the elderly.
If you’re a Pioneer Oil & Propane Automatic Delivery propane customer, we ask that you inform us when you’ll be away from home for more than a few days. This is because we consider your usage history when we schedule your deliveries. Notifying us you’ll be away may keep us from making an unneeded propane delivery.
The days and hours leading up to your departure for vacation can be hectic, with packing and other tasks needing to get done.
All of this activity might cause you to forget if you completed necessary tasks such as our suggestions for conserving energy before leaving. This advice ensures that you have peace of mind about your energy savings and the protection and security of your house.
To begin, make a checklist on your phone covering energy-saving procedures to complete before going on vacation. As you complete them, check them off so you know they’ve been done.
Before you go, do a walk-through with your smartphone. Take photographs of all the rooms with the lights out, electronics and small appliances unplugged or shut off, water turned off to your washer, doors locked, and windows closed and secured. If you’re concerned about whether you left a light or appliance on while traveling, check the photographs from your phone for assurance.
By the way, if you have a smart thermostat, you can check your home’s HVAC system and your thermostat settings from your smartphone anywhere you get a cellular or WiFi signal.
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