Are you planning a fun getaway this summer? Before you hit the road, sky, or sea, there are a few things you can do around your home to help you save on electricity costs while you’re gone. Just think of the souvenirs you can buy with the money you’ll save!
• Set a schedule for your thermostat: If you have a smart thermostat, set it to vacation mode to override your normal cooling schedule. Then, set it to turn back to your normal schedule on the day you arrive home so it’s comfortable when you get back.
• Close the blinds and curtains: Keep the sunlight out of your home by lowering the blinds and drawing the curtains before you head out of town.
• Turn down the water heater: Make sure you aren’t paying to heat water you won’t use while you’re away. By turning down the temperature on your water heater you can reduce the amount of electricity used to heat water you won’t be there to use.
• Unplug devices and turn off power strips: Before you leave, turn off and unplug any devices that won’t be used while you’re gone to prevent phantom loads. This includes big devices like TVs, but don’t forget about smaller items like phone chargers, coffee makers, and electric toothbrush chargers as well. If you have things plugged into power strips, turn those off too.
• Put lights on timers: If you have smart light switches, put them on a timer so they turn on and off while you’re gone to make it look like someone’s home. Otherwise, you’ll want to turn off any unnecessary lights before you go.
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