Seven Ways to Save Energy While You’re on Vacation

Written on: June 24, 2019

Planning a summer road trip? An escape to the mountains? A European getaway?
Wherever your vacation plans take you, we bet you’ve budgeted for just about everything you’ll need along the way – right down to the last gallon of gasoline or tour map. But what about the costs of keeping things running in the home you’re leaving behind?
With a little planning, you can keep those costs to a minimum. Try these six tips to save energy at home while you’re on vacation:

1. Keep it dark – Give your house a once over, turning off all lights and fans to save energy. Shut and lock all doors and windows to keep the summer heat out.
2. Give our propane delivery crew a call – If you are an Ace-Robbins automatic propane delivery customer, let us know you’re leaving town for a while. Your delivery date is based on an estimate of your past bills; if you aren’t around using propane, that estimate will be off, and you’ll pay for an unnecessary delivery.
3. Turn up the thermostat – Home cooling is the biggest energy drainer in your PA home during the summer…but if no one is around to enjoy all that conditioned air, why pay for it? Turn your thermostat up to 84 degrees before you hit the road, and set your fan for “auto” rather than “on” to prevent it from running 24/7. Just don’t turn your A/C completely off: it could cause a build-up of moisture that leads to a mold problem.
4. Block that sun – Close the blinds or pull the curtains before you head down holiday road; this will prevent the sun from overheating your space (which your air conditioner will overwork to cool).
5. Kill your water heater – If you have an electric water heater, shut it down at the breaker so it’s not keeping your reserve hot water warm when you don’t need it. Of course, if you had a propane tankless heater, you wouldn’t have to deal with this problem, since it doesn’t store any water (one of the many reasons to consider this energy-saving upgrade).
6. Keep stuff in your fridge – A full refrigerator is more energy efficient than a half-empty one, so resist the urge to dump non-perishables when you leave town. The best way to save energy with your fridge? Replace your old model with an ultra high efficiency refrigerator upgrade.
7. Keep the vampires at bay – Anything with a light on it draws current – this is often referred to as “vampire power.” To keep the energy suckers away, unplug anything with a light on it. This includes your TV, media players, cable boxes, computers, ovens, microwaves, and other appliances. If you use a smart strip, power it off.

Ready for a summer break? So is your cooling equipment! Schedule a “spa day” for your air conditioner by signing up for professional A/C maintenance from Ace-Robbins before you hit the road! Contact us today to learn more.