Going On Vacation? Here's An Important Home Maintenance Task You're Likely Forgetting

One of the best parts of taking a vacation, besides the magical memories made, is getting those slightly reduced water, power, and gas bills at the end of the month. Let the fancy hotel, loving relative, or wary Airbnb host pay for your partner's extra long showers, your kid's refusal to turn off lights, and your penchant for running both the heat and the ceiling fan every night to achieve optimum sleep conditions. 

There are a few things you can do to save money on your electric bill when you aren't home, such as unplugging certain devices. Of course, you needn't unplug everything in your home every time you leave for a few days. The refrigerator, for example, consumes a huge amount of electricity, but is a necessary evil (evil in the energy sense, but also in the sense that it is where the Ben & Jerry's is kept). For some devices, like the oven, it's just not worth it. Sure, unplugging the oven may save a few pennies, but resetting the oven clock is a hassle. Also a hassle? Figuring out how to unplug the oven. 

However, many devices in your home can be categorized as "energy vampires," meaning they continue to suck energy even when powered off. Unplugging energy-suckers like smart devices and chargers, as well as adjusting your thermostat and water heater settings will save your hard-earned cash, reduce energy waste, and even protect your home and belongings from electrical surges. 

Your TV and video game consoles don't look like they are consuming much energy when turned off, since they don't project light or display the time. But these devices are constantly in standby mode, ready to receive signals from WiFi, Bluetooth, headphones, speakers, remotes, and controllers. And unlike your stove or dishwasher, these devices are easy to unplug, especially if you plug them into a single surge protector, like this power strip from Amazon Basics with room for six devices. It'll protect your expensive electronics from electrical surges, and let you unplug your TV, Apple TV, Nintendo Switch, Playstation, X-Box, and DVD player (which you are hanging on to for posterity) in one fell swoop. 

The same is true of smart devices, like your Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Anything you can turn on from an app, such as a coffee maker or sound machine, will be waiting in standby mode and using energy in the process. Computers are another huge energy consumer, even when turned off completely (it should go without saying not to leave it charging in "sleep mode" while away). You can also lower your energy bills by unplugging any computer, phone, tablet, and gaming console chargers. Chargers constantly draw energy, even if they aren't actively charging a device. 

One of the best tips for saving energy in your home while on vacation is to adjust your thermostat. In warm months, set it to 85 degrees, or turn it off completely (unless you are leaving pets in the house). If you normally set your thermostat to 72 degrees, setting it to 85 can save you around 40% on your bill. To keep your A/C from working harder than necessary, close all curtains and blinds to block the sun and keep heat out. In the winter, set the thermostat to 55 degrees, but do not shut it off completely. You still want some heat to flow so your pipes don't freeze. 

Heating water is a huge percent of your home's energy consumption. Before going on vacation, turn your water heater down, using the thermostat on the front of the appliance. Many of them have a mode specifically labeled "vacation" for this purpose.

There's nothing wrong with leaving on a light or two while on vacation to throw off possible intruders. If doing so, use a BN-Link outlet timer to limit the time the lights are on, and use LED bulbs. Amazon Basics LED bulbs use much less energy and last longer than incandescent. A typical incandescent bulb costs around 22 cents to run for a 24-hour period, while an LED bulb costs only three cents per day. They are also safer, since incandescent bulbs give off more heat, creating a fire hazard if left on for long periods.