Summer is almost here, and that means vacation time for most people. Before you get lost in thoughts of tropical paradises and days off of work, let’s take a minute to make sure you know how to prepare your home before you go on vacation.

Just because no one will be home doesn’t mean you will automatically be using less energy. Here are a few energy-saving tips to help prepare your home and save on energy while you’re on vacation.

Raise the Thermostat

In the peak of Houston summer, your house can reach triple digits and extreme humidity levels if you turn your AC off. Too much humidity in your home can spur the growth of mold and mildew. Setting your thermostat around 85 degrees will allow you to save energy without your house getting too hot.

Preventative Maintenance

Check your air filters before you head out and make sure to change them if they need it. If your HVAC system is due for a seasonal maintenance check, make sure to get that taken care of before you leave home in order to avoid coming home to any problems. 

Make it Look Like You’re Home

When you are gone on vacation, you still want it to appear to onlookers that you’re home. Most people will just leave a light on the whole time they’re gone but, to save energy, you should set up a light or two on automatic timers. This will allow certain lights to turn on/off at whatever times you set them to do so, which gives the illusion that you are home but also saves on energy by not having lights on 24/7.

Electronics and Appliances

What many people don’t realize is that appliances that are plugged in still consume energy even if the appliance is not on. Televisions, cellphone chargers, coffee pots, lamps, computers, etc. — they can all be unplugged while you are out of town to lower energy consumption. Not only will unplugging them save energy, but it can also prevent possible fires in the case of an electrical surge while you are gone.

Blinds and Curtains

Keeping the blinds down and the curtains drawn will prevent anyone from seeing that your home is unoccupied. It will also keep the sun from further heating your house.

You’ll be spending enough money on your vacation — you don’t want to come home to a high electricity bill as well. Follow these tips to save money and prevent post-vacation stress!

If you’re going out of town and need to schedule maintenance before you leave, visit our website to contact us today, or you can schedule a service call.