Whether to turn off or leave on an air conditioner while on vacation is a common question. Which choice is the smartest in terms of saving energy?

Look at Several Factors

Like many things in life, there’s no simple answer. It depends on several factors, including exterior temperature and humidity.

The Climate

What you should do certainly depends on your climate. Here at MD Air Conditioning & Heating in San Antonio, we understand that it gets extremely hot, and we’re always here to help people with their AC units. If you’re going to be away for a hot stretch with temperatures near the century mark, you should probably leave your AC on while you’re away. If the weather is mild, go ahead and turn it off.

The reasoning behind this is that, in some cases, your system would have to work too hard to cool down your house upon your return. It would have to run around the clock for possibly several days to get things back to normal. This constant running isn’t ideal for your components, even if they’re well maintained. If you keep the AC on, your house will stay at a pleasant temperature and nothing will get overloaded.

Humidity is very important too, as the AC keeps humidity levels down. When interior humidity rises above 50%, your wood and furniture can get warped and things can start to get musty.

What to Do

If it looks like the weather will be hot or humid while you’re away on vacation, leave your unit on, but turn the thermostat up between seven and 10 degrees. This will help you to maintain the condition of your home but not so much that you’re wasting energy. If the weather will be pleasant, turn off your AC unit, as it won’t take much effort to lower the temps when you get home.

At MD Air Conditioning & Heating in San Antonio, we’re available every day in case you require any assistance. We work with AC units, heaters, and indoor air quality improvement systems. We do it all from installation and maintenance to repairs. Call us today to schedule your appointment.

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