Summer is officially here and many of us are ready for a change of scenery. But, as relaxing as vacation is supposed to be, preparing your home for when you will be away for long periods can be stressful and anxiety-inducing. If you’re planning on going on vacation any time soon, here is an easy checklist that can help you spend more time thinking about the fun and sun, and less time worrying about all the little things.
- Turn off appliances: Turn off power strips and unplug all devices and appliances, including computers, televisions, video game consoles, coffee makers, fans, etc. Do not forget that devices still consume energy if plugged into an outlet!
- Turn on your water heater’s “Vacation Mode”: Reduce the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees from the default temperature of 140 degrees.
- Replace air filters: Try to do your monthly replacement before you leave for vacation. This will help your cooling unit work less hard, improving energy efficiency and reducing costs.
- Adjust the thermostat: Raise your thermostat temperature to between 78 and 82 degrees when not at home, but don’t turn it off entirely. This could help lower your overall bill, as well as help reduce your home’s impact on the power grid, which is especially critical during heat waves.
- Raise the refrigerator temperature (but not too high): By slightly raising the temperature, you can reduce energy use AND keep your refrigerator full of food! The Department of Energy suggests the ideal temperature is between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit. This, however, is not recommended if you will be gone for a month or more.
- Turn off ceiling fans: While ceiling fans are great at cooling people off and can help offset the cost and energy of air conditioning, they do not cool off rooms. Turn off your ceiling fan when you’re away for an extended time.
- Close all blinds: You can prevent additional heat midday when the sun is its strongest simply by closing or lowering your blinds.
- Use LED bulbs: If your lights are on timers for safety reasons while you are gone, invest in LED lightbulbs. They are more energy efficient, last longer, and give off less heat than traditional (incandescent) light bulbs.
- Lights out: Before leaving, turn off all other lights—leaving them on is a classic mistake!
Following this checklist can help ensure a relaxing vacation while knowing everything is handled at home. Not only are you helping protect your home, but you are also protecting yourself from increasing your energy bill.
Visit South Jersey Gas Energy Efficient Programs to learn more about how you can save energy and money through their provided resources.
