Can You Leave Your Air Conditioner Off When You Go on Vacation?

If you have a summer vacation planned, you likely have a list of things to do around the house before you leave. When you leave your home for a long time, you make sure the doors are locks and all the lights are turned off to save energy. Should you also turn off your AC unit while you’ll be away? The answer to this question is almost always no. While leaving the air conditioner off when you’re away will definitely help to cut your electrical costs for the month, it may also lead to more costly problems.

Set the Temperature Higher Instead of Turning the Unit Off

Before you leave for vacation, you can set the temperature on your thermostat to a higher level than you’d normally leave it. While you may typically keep your house around 72 degrees on a hot summer day, if you’ll be gone, you can set it around 83 degrees instead. Setting it this high can help to save you money on your electrical bill but won’t cause other problems.

Why You Shouldn’t Shut Off the AC Completely

If you shut off your AC unit for an extended period of time, it can lead to increased levels of humidity in your home. Too much humidity could potentially lead to mold growing in your house. It may also make your residence smell musty. Prolonged levels of high humidity can also warp furniture or cause the paint on your walls to peel.

Additional Ways to Reduce Your Cooling Bills

You’ll be able to save a few dollars on your electrical bill while you’re away for vacation, but that still leaves a lot of the summer when you’ll be home running your AC. To keep your bills lower all season, there are a few things you can try. Installing a programmable thermostat can allow you to increase the temperature in your home when you’re away. This can have an impact on your monthly bills. Scheduling an AC tune-up will help your unit to work more efficiently and use less energy to keep your home cool.

Air Max HVAC has been providing heating and cooling services to the Burbank area since 2001. We’d love to help you get the most out of your AC unit and keep your monthly cooling bills to a minimum. Don’t hesitate to contact us today to learn more about the services we offer, including heating and AC repair, installation, and maintenance.