Planning a vacation involves more than booking plane tickets, hotel rooms, and rental cars. It’s also important to get your home ready for when you’re away. This includes things like deciding if you should keep your lights on and whether you should unplug all of your appliances and other devices. Just as important is figuring out if you should leave your air conditioner running while you’re on your trip.

In general, it’s not wise to leave your air conditioner running nonstop while you’re away from home, the main reasons for which we’ll discuss in detail below. However, it’s still possible to run your AC and keep your house cool while being smart about how you use your unit.

First, Some Reasons Why You May Not Want to Leave Your AC On

The simplest answer as to whether to leave your air conditioning system on continuously during your vacation is no. For one thing, you risk overworking your cooling unit to the point where all the strain can contribute extra to the normal wear and tear your AC faces. The harder your air conditioner has to work, the sooner this could lead to a total breakdown at some point in the future.

Keeping your system on while no one’s home will also lead to much higher energy bills. Your utility costs are most likely already bigger during the humid summers in Dallas, GA, but just having your cooling system cranking regardless of your home’s occupancy will make things that much worse with your energy expenditures.

You Can Leave Your AC Running…With Some Caveats

Having explained the two main issues with leaving your AC running during your vacation, you’ll be glad to know that it is still possible to have it on even when you’re not at home, provided you take some steps to prepare and answer some basic questions before you take off on your trip.

Exactly When Is Your Vacation?

If you’re planning a trip at the height of summer, then you’ll want to have your AC on for much of the time so you don’t return to a stiflingly hot home. However, if your vacation is in early or late summer, you might be able to get away with leaving your cooling system on only part of the time.

What Will the Weather Forecast Be?

Weather forecasting has gotten much better over the years with improved technology. However, it’s still hard to figure out what the weather will be like months down the road. Start checking the forecasts about a week or so before your trip. If it’s not going to be too hot, you could leave your AC on, but it will get a break when temperatures cool down at night. If it’s going to be much hotter while you’re away, you can still have your AC run but with the thermostat at a higher temperature setting to avoid nonstop usage.

Experts generally recommend that homeowners set their thermostats anywhere from the low to the mid 80s if they know they’ll be away for a certain length of time. This doesn’t sound like it will keep your house that cool, but it will while also preventing the system from running continually.

How Long Is Your Trip?

A short weekend excursion means you can get away with your AC running each day, provided you set the thermostat a few degrees higher than normal, with a maximum of about 80. If your trip is going to be a week or longer, the smartest thing to do would be to set the thermostat as much as 10 degrees higher than you usually have it. Your AC will still run and keep your home relatively cool, but it won’t become overworked.

Other Ways to Prepare Your AC for Your Trip

Besides making preparations for your cooling system by answering the questions above, there are a few other things you can do to help ensure your air conditioner runs optimally while you’re not at home.

Have an AC Tune-Up Done

Having routine maintenance performed on your air conditioner is a good idea, even if you’re not planning on a holiday this year. Still, it makes sense to have your system checked out before you go away to help ensure it operates as it should.

A professional technician will inspect your system and look for any signs of damage and make the necessary repairs. Your technician will also check for issues like clogged lines and perform the necessary cleaning. If your AC needs a refrigerant refill, your tech will also take care of this.

Getting maintenance done right before you go away will help with your peace of mind as you’ll know your system is in the best possible shape to keep your home cool and comfortable. Generally, it’s smart to have a tune-up done during the spring before the busy summer season. However, if you already have your trip planned, it might make sense to wait until about a week before it to have maintenance work.

Change Out the Air Filter

Putting in a new air filter is an easy enough task you can do yourself. It’s typical to have air filters swapped out about every 90 days or so. You might decide to wait on the filter change depending on your vacation dates. Having a clean filter will help block any dirt and other particulates from getting through and circulating throughout your home. This will help keep your indoor air clean and fresh for your return home. Your AC also won’t have to work harder to push air through a dirty filter.

Invest in a Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats represent a huge advance in technology from their older counterparts. With a smart thermostat, you’ll have the ability to control your air conditioner when you’re not at home. Using a smartphone or tablet as well as the thermostat’s app, it’s possible to set the temperature remotely. If you know it’s going to be hotter or cooler in Dallas while you’re enjoying your vacation destination, just tap on your smart device and adjust the temperature as needed.

A smart thermostat will also learn your routine over time. It will sense when no one’s home and adjust accordingly. You can also program it ahead of time so you come home to your preferred temperature setting.

The team at Precision Heating & Air can assess your HVAC system and determine if you’re eligible for a thermostat upgrade.

Reach Out Today

As long as you prepare your air conditioner for when you’re away on vacation and you’re smart about how you use it, it’s fine to have it run so it keeps your home nice and cool. If you need any maintenance or repair work done on your AC, Precision Heating & Air can help. Our other services include heating system repair, maintenance, and installation. We also service tank and tankless water heaters, dehumidifiers, heat pumps, and ductless mini-split systems. We’re also available for emergency service.

To set up an HVAC appointment at your home in Dallas, give us a call today at Precision Heating & Air.

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