Should I Turn My Furnace Off When on Vacation?

Are you getting ready to take a long-deserved vacation? If so, you might be asking yourself if it makes sense to turn off your furnace while you’re gone. After all, this might be a way to save money on your utility bills. Did you know that heating your home makes up close to half of your utility bill?

Keep Your Furnace On

While it’s good to save energy when it makes sense, turning off your furnace or heating system completely isn’t necessarily a good idea. This is especially true during the winter months if you live an area like North Carolina where the temperature can drop down to freezing. Your home’s pipes could freeze and actually explode! You can have issues with pipes freezing when it gets down to around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. So that’s why it’s especially important to keep your furnace on when there’s the possibility of freezing temperatures.

Set Your Thermostat to Lower Temperatures

Instead of turning off a furnace completely when you take a trip, make sure you have a properly working thermostat that’s programmable and set it to a lower temperature. For example, to prevent freezing pipes, it’s a good idea to set the thermostat to at least to 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This can also help you save money on your heating costs during the winter months. By lowering your thermostat 7 to 10 degrees for at least 8 hours a day, you can save up to 10% on your yearly heating costs.

Before it gets too cold is a great time to have a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) specialist take a look at your furnace to make sure it’s working properly so you’re not stuck in the cold with a broken furnace. With regular maintenance, you can get years out of an HVAC system and avoid a costly replacement.

Looking for Heating and Cooling Experts?

If you’re in the Charlotte, Gastonia, Concord, or Lake Norman area, call Integrity Heating & Cooling. We also, offer 24/7 emergency service, so you can get service at nights and weekends when it’s really needed.