Summer is a great time to be outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. However, this also means that your home may become vacant. If you are looking for ways to save money on energy bills during this period, we have some tips for you! Check out our article today for more information about how to leave a vacant house in summer and save money.
Turn A/C off
If you are planning on leaving your home vacant for a period of time, one way to save energy is by turning off the air conditioning. It can be easy to forget that if it’s been months since someone has lived in the house, or when we’re going out for vacation and plan on coming back before our property goes vacant again. It’s important to be mindful of the fact that turning off your air conditioner can save up to $150 a month in energy costs.
Lower Thermostat Temperature
Another way to save money on energy bills is by lowering the thermostat temperature. If you are able for this, try turning your heat down from 68 degrees Fahrenheit (or 20 Celsius) to 65-67 degrees Fahrenheit or 18-19 Celsius. This will help you lower your heating bill and also avoid letting warm air escape into an already heated house.
Close Curtains and Blinds
In order to keep the house cool, it’s important to close curtains and blinds when they are not in use. This will help reduce solar heating, which is a major cause of heat gain inside your home during the summer months.
It can be easy to forget that if it has been months since someone lived in the house or when we are outside, we are not exposed to the sun’s rays for extended periods of time. One can still be affected by solar heating if they are inside and there is no circulation.
When you close your curtains or blinds during the night, it will help keep out natural sunlight that heats up a house and saves money on air conditioning costs in the process. If you are not currently using your curtains or blinds, consider putting them in storage so that they can be ready for use when the time arises.
Place Water Heater at Lowest Setting
The water heater is another major area where you can save on your energy bill, especially if the house has been vacant for a while. As mentioned before, natural sunlight will heat up a house and this includes the hot water in a tank as well. To reduce these effects to help limit your energy costs while going through renovations or improvements on an old home, lower your water heater’s temperature setting from 130 degrees Fahrenheit to 120.
Turn off Appliances and Heating Equipment
Check to see if any appliances or heating equipment are still operating. If they are, locate the circuit breaker and turn them off immediately. You do not want your electricity bill skyrocketing because you were too lazy to check this before leaving for vacation!
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