What Temperature to Set Your Air Conditioner When Away?

You’re probably going away for a few days, but you don’t know the right temperature for your air conditioning while away.

Well, many homeowners believe that turning off your AC is correct, but is this the best decision? 

If you’re going away on vacation, it’s recommended to keep your AC between 80 to 85 degrees. If it’s in the winter, it’s recommended to be set at around 65 degrees. 

Looking for information on a vacant house or how to make setting your AC when you’re away easier? You’ll find all of that below.

Let’s get started.

What Temperature Should I Set My House When on Vacation?

When vacationing during warm weather months or summer, you should keep your AC setting at approximately between 80 to 85 degrees.

If it’s in the winter, have your AC setting at around 65 degrees.

Excessive dampness and heat may cause mold and mildew to develop, so shutting off the air conditioner is not a good idea.

What Temperature Should I Set My House When at Work?

If you’re just going to work, you will want to raise the temperature by 5 degrees than the normal setting during the summer heat.

Conversely, in winter, you should reduce the indoor temperature setting by 5 degrees from your usual when at home.

For example, if your normal setting is 75 degrees, increase it to 80 degrees in the summer, and in winter, set it to 70 degrees.

This way, you lower the risk of damaging your appliance; also, it is best if you have pets or houseplants.

The only exception is in subpar temperatures—below 32 degrees, you shouldn’t reduce the temperature.

What Temperature Should the Air Conditioner Be Left on in a Vacant House?

No matter how long you’ll be gone, the optimal thermostat setting for vacant house maintenance is 50 degrees in the winter and 85 degrees in the summer.

Some homeowners believe that longer absences allow you to set the thermostat a little lower in the winter and a bit higher in the summer, but this is not true.

If a home’s temperature rises excessively under humid conditions in the summer, wallpapers may peel away, wood will warp, and other items might be damaged.

The longer your air conditioning system is not running, the more harm you may experience in your home.

During the winter, there’s much moisture condensation from the indoors cool air; as a result, freezing in plumbing pipes may happen.

You might be enticed by saving a few dollars when you get your energy bill, but it’s not worth the risk of causing costly damage to your house.

Is it Better to Turn Off Your AC When You Leave?

You can turn off your AC when you’re not at home to save on energy consumption.

Shutting it down will let it run less and save you your energy costs in most cases.

But, if you have a houseplant or pet, you better leave it running to provide them with optimal survival temperatures and humidity levels. 

You’ve probably heard that your house’s air conditioner not only keeps the home temperature comfortable but it also plays a role in reducing the humidity level.

Fungus and mold are likely to grow in a house with no running air conditioner, especially in humid and warm areas.

If you leave your air conditioner on when you’re not home, the indoor air supply will be dehumidified, minimizing the chance of mold growth while you’re away.

Will I Save Money Turning Down My AC?

The average house air conditioner will operate for roughly 12-16 hours each day.

If you shut down your AC for a portion of the day, it will save on cooling costs.

In the long run, you’ll save much energy costs compared to your previous bills when running the AC full time, including when you are away.

Another way to save money from using an AC when away is by getting an air conditioning system that is energy efficient.

This way, you don’t have to worry about taking a summer vacation and leaving the AC running.

To learn more, find out how many hours your AC should run per day.

Think About Utilizing a Programmable Thermostat

Installing a smart or programmable thermostat is yet another effective method to control your cooling and heating costs.

Using a programmable thermostat, you’ll be able to automatically adjust your house’s temperature from anywhere with a simple touch from your smart device, which is convenient.

When you’re not at home, you can change your temperature settings based on the current weather as well as gradually adjust to your family’s preferred temperatures.

Smart thermostats will let you come home meeting the perfect climate: not too cold, not too hot. Finally, you won’t have to blast the air conditioner anymore!

Here are a few benefits of utilizing a programmable thermostat.

Saving the Environment

It is effortless to set an ideal temperature using a smart thermostat; a simple few seconds and clicks might make a significant difference in the world.

Of course, if you consume less electricity, you will save even more money.

In addition, there’s another advantage to this – it is your modest contribution to preserving and making the planet a greener place.

Saves Money

A programmable thermostat can save you an average of $180 each year.

When you leave your house for work, you don’t need your air conditioner to be on full blast.

Reduce energy usage by adjusting the temperature from your programmable thermostat in your home. A penny saved is a penny earned!

More control

Most programmable thermostats let you control your AC for when to turn on or off at a specific time, switch from heating to cooling and vice versa, raise or lower the temperature, check the system status (e.g., whether there are any issues with the air conditioners), and control other settings for you to achieve the right home conditions.

Final Thoughts

If you’ll be away for vacation or work, set the temperature between 80 to 85 in the summer and around 65 degrees during winter.

For maintaining a vacant house, keep in mind to have the temperatures at 85 degrees in the summer and 65 degrees during the winter months. 

Remember, you can also save on energy costs and control your AC when away using a programmable thermostat.

This device will allow you to adjust the temperature throughout the day depending on various factors, such as when you are not at home or looking to maintain a vacant house, all with just one click!

About Roy Cohen

Roy Cohen has a burning passion for heating, cooling, and ventilation. He aims to help you save money on expensive repairs and bring you the best HVAC products. He has years of experience behind him in HVAC repair and garage maintenance.

You can find Roy at his LinkedIn or his email: [email protected]

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