While you’re out having fun in the sun on vacation, you can save money on your energy bill back at home. All it takes is a little planning beforehand. Before you pack for your next trip, spend a few minutes making adjustments around your home to make sure you’re not using excess energy while you’re out of the house.
Adjust your thermostat
There’s no sense in cooling your house while you’re out, so make sure you adjust your thermostat before you leave. You can set it as high as 85°F while you’re out to save on cooling costs as long as you don’t have pets staying at home. If you have a smart thermostat, don’t forget to turn it back down to 78°F shortly before you get home so you come back to a comfortable temperature.
Also, if you have a smart thermostat, make sure you check out our smart thermostat savings program!
Change the temperature on your water heater
Before you head out of town, adjust the temperature on your water heater so you’re not paying to keep a reserve of hot water when you’re out. Just be sure to set a reminder to change it back once you get home.
If you’re interested in saving energy and money with your water heater year-round, learn about our load management program.
Close curtains and blinds
Keep your house cooler while you’re gone by closing the blinds and curtains to keep out radiant heat. As a bonus, it may help keep your home safe while you’re gone by preventing any passerby from realizing you’re out of town.
Unplug what you can
Did you know that appliances use energy when they are plugged in, even when you’re not using them? That means that plugged in TVs, gaming consoles, coffee makers and other electronics are all contributing to your energy bill when you’re on vacation. This energy use is called phantom energy. Unplug anything that’s non-essential while you’re gone to save energy.
Check to see sneaky culprits of energy use
Don’t know which appliances use the most phantom energy? Try out our free calculator to see how much it costs to keep common household appliances plugged in while not in use at pemc.coop/phantom-load-calculator.