It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Are you packing up and traveling to see friends and family for the holidays?
If you are planning to be away from your home for an extended amount of time this season, you may be tempted to drastically turn down your furnace, or even shut it down altogether. Even though your home may be vacant for this varied amount of time, our experts strongly advise against making a drastic change to your heating schedule.
Learn our most frequently asked questions regarding furnace operation while traveling for the holidays…
Is It OK To Turn My Furnace Off When Traveling For The Holidays?
The simple answer to that is, no; turning your furnace off completely is not a good idea. In Ohio, December’s average high temperature barely reaches 40 degrees, so it is vital to the safety of your home to leave your heating system on while away. Consider turning down the thermostat while you’re away, but don’t turn off the furnace completely. A home with no heat supply in the winter could put your pipes in danger of freezing.
Can I Save Money By Turning My Thermostat Down Drastically?
We all agree that the heating system should remain on if you are going away for a period of time this winter. The next thing to determine is what that ‘decreased temperature’ is to set the furnace at in order to keep your home safe. Be careful of how low you set that furnace to run at; you shouldn’t just be thinking about your pipes. Consider the amount of time you will be away, and the work that your system will have to do in order to reach that normal heating temperature again after you’ve returned. Experts don’t recommend dropping the thermostat down much more than 5-8 degrees or so in the winter time. A furnace that is trying to recoup a larger temperature swing can be overworked, which can lead to furnace issues, both instantly upon your return and in the future. The money saved by drastically lowering your home temperature for a period of time is not likely to amount to much in comparison to the cost that the additional strain put on your system may be.
How Can I Prevent My Furnace From Breaking Down While I’m Away?
It’s always best to have your heating system tuned up before cold weather starts up for the season. Having this annual maintenance performed on your HVAC system is the best way to stay ahead of an untimely breakdown. While there is no way to guarantee that your furnace won’t stop working while you are away, you are able to stay in touch with your home with new thermostat technology that allows you to see the temperature of your home and control your thermostat from a connected app on your phone or tablet. When you are able to connect with your home through this technology, you can be alerted of a temperature drop from a broken furnace, which can allow you to react quicker to a heating emergency.
Wishing everyone a safe and comfortable holiday season! Whether you need furnace repair, replacement, or routine maintenance, count on the fast, friendly service of your team at Logan Services A/C, Heat & Plumbing.
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