Although it’s getting late into the summer, many families in the St. Louis area are still planning to take vacations this year. And if you’re going to be leaving your house empty for several days, you might be wondering what you should do about your air conditioner while you’re gone. That’s why today we’re going to talk about the things you should do with your cooling system before leaving on vacation!
Should you turn your air conditioner off before leaving on vacation?
One of the first questions that homeowners have about their air conditioners before leaving on vacation is whether or not they should completely shut their systems off. In theory, this would be a good idea because it would cut down your energy bills. However, leaving your air conditioner off for an extended period could be damaging to your home.
Without your air conditioner on, humidity levels will rise inside your home. This can damage your walls, floors, and furniture, so it’s important to keep your A/C running to keep humidity levels under control. Some other problems with leaving your air conditioner off are that your refrigerator will have to work much harder and consume more energy (possibly causing a breakdown) and that the hot and humid environment might be unsafe for your pets.
To save energy while keeping your home safe, set your thermostat in the low to mid-80s while you’re away. If you have a programmable thermostat, utilize the vacation setting for this purpose.
Other things to do before leaving on vacation to keep your A/C in good shape
- Ask a neighbor to check on your A/C. People often ask a neighbor to bring in the mail and newspapers and take care of pets while they are on vacation. It’s also a good idea to ask that person to take a glance at the thermostat to ensure that your A/C is running properly.
- Change the air filter. Before you leave, make sure that you have a clean filter installed in your air conditioner. This will keep your system running efficiently and lessen the likelihood of your system breaking down while you are away.
- Close your window shades. Closing all of the window shades in your home will block heat from the sun from entering your home. This will ease the load on your air conditioner and maximize your energy savings while you’re on vacation.
If you have any questions about these things to do before leaving on vacation, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Louis air conditioning contractor. We service the St. Louis area, including towns like Ballwin, Chesterfield, and Clarkson Valley, MO.
