It’s summer which means for many people that it’s time to head out on vacation… you may be wondering, “Should I turn off my air conditioner while I’m gone?” After all, you don’t leave all the lights on in your home while you’re away, right? Here’s our advice:
Don’t turn it off!
To understand why you shouldn’t turn off your air conditioner while away, you should first understand what an air conditioner does.
Yes, it cools your home. But it also removes humidity.
For optimum comfort and for the health of your home, the humidity in your house should be no higher than 50%. More than that and you run into common humidity problems, such as:
- Mold
- Musty smells and odors
- Peeling paint
- Warped wood furniture (floors, cabinets, etc.)
Turning off your air conditioner means it won’t be removing the humidity from your air, leaving your home vulnerable to the problems above. It also means the temperature in your home will be very hot, which can lead to:
- Placing stress on your refrigerator/freezer (increasing energy bills and the chance of it breaking down)
- Spoiling food in your pantry
- Harming sensitive electronics
But we also don’t recommend just leaving your thermostat as it’s set now.
Turn it up!
For most homeowners who are going on vacation for a week or two, it’s probably best to keep your air conditioner on. But there’s no need to cool your entire home the same way you normally do – so turn your thermostat up.
Usually a setting it around 83-86 degrees is good.
This should run your air conditioner enough to remove excess humidity and keep other parts of your home safe.
If you use a programmable thermostat, look for a “vacation”, “hold” or “away” function. These settings will keep your thermostat from cooling your home to your normal schedule.
CALL US AT 860-314-1518 IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF ANY A/C MAINTENANCE, SERVICE, OR REPAIRS. WE’RE HERE TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR HOME COOL AND COMFORTABLE.
“YOUR COMFORT IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY!”
