It is important to remember that, unless you take action, the appliances and electronic devices in your home may not not get a break when you're on vacation and your next month's energy bill may be business as usual. So before you leave on your next trip, take a few minutes and follow these simple steps. You can minimize energy consumption in your empty house and maybe save a few dollars for your next vacation.
Air Conditioner - There is no need to keep your house cool while you are sitting on the beach hundreds of miles away, so turn off your air conditioner for the duration of your trip. To avoid coming home to an overheated house, use a programmable thermostat and set it on vacation mode to re-cool your house shortly before your expected return.
Water Heater - Unless you have a tankless unit, your water heater will continue to run (and cost you money) to keep the water warm until you get back. Turn down the setting to as low as possible to reduce this standby heat loss while you are away.
Refrigerator - The refrigerator is one of the biggest energy users in a typical home. If you are leaving for a short period of time, change the refrigerator thermostat to a higher setting, 38 degrees for the refrigerator, 5 degrees for the freezer. For longer trips (such as four weeks or more) consider emptying your refrigerator and unplugging it.
Lights - Turn off all lights in your home before you leave. You may wish to maintain an outdoor or indoor light for nighttime security. Consider installing a timer. This will limit the illumination to only a few hours a day and help to make it appear as if someone is at home.
Electronics - There may be a phantom load haunting your empty home (and costing you money) while you are away. Turning off electronic devices is a good energy savings strategy, but remember, digital displays, instant-on features, and remote controls consume energy while not in use. Unplug all electronic devices while you are away.