The holiday season is in full-swing and people all around the country are planning holiday vacations that will take them far away from home for a week or more. For as much preparation that goes into holiday trips, most people end up forgetting about what to do with their thermostat while they are away. In particular, to what temperature should the thermostat be set to keep a decent environment for your home without breaking the bank?
Cooling & Heating an Empty Home
The truth of the matter is you probably do not need to use your thermostat at all while you are away from home and live in Southern California or an area just as temperate. Since outside temperatures in a SoCal winter should still be somewhat temperate, you do not need to worry about cooling your home just to prevent electronics from overheating while plugged in or while in idle use. This is probably one of the many reasons why living in the region is so expensive. But what if you live somewhere not as friendly?
- Set your air conditioner to about 72 degrees if you think your home could get unreasonably hot in the day time, or if you have pets in the house. Do not go to vacation and shut off your thermostat if you are leaving animals behind. Please be aware of their health and safety.
- Set your heater to 50 degrees if you live in a region where it drops below freezing at night. Pipes in the walls will freeze if your thermostat is shut completely off. Frozen pipes can burst, flooding rooms with water – a sure way to ruin your holiday vacation.
- Set your heater to 68 degrees if you live in a relatively cold region and are leaving pets inside your home. Better yet, research local animal boarding locations or ask a family friend to take care of them.
Smart Thermostats: A Smarter Way to Regulate Your Home’s Climate
Switching on the thermostat to a desired temperature and leaving for the holidays sounds pretty archaic, probably because it is. No matter what temp you chose, it will not be the most efficient way to regulate your home and save money. The smart choice is to instead use smarter technology in your thermostat.
At H.L. Moe Co., Inc in Los Angeles, we recommend using the Ecobee3 thermostat system. It is a brilliant device that uses individual room sensors to pick up ambient temperature in individual rooms. The live data from the sensors lets the thermostat better decide when to turn on and where to direct the cooled or heated air. In the end, it makes for an efficient, cost-saving system.
If you are interested in getting the Ecobee3 thermostat installed in your home before you go away for the holidays, give us a call at (818) 396-8002. Our Los Angeles HVAC specialists would be happy to tell you all about smart thermostats and how easy it can be for us to swap out your old one. Due to the popularity and the amazingness of the Ecobee3, we do our best to always keep some in stock so we can complete installation jobs in a pinch.
Get more information by contacting us online and requesting a job estimate.