Money Saving Tips for a Vacation

You’re already going to be spending a lot while on vacation, so why let your Omaha area home continue to suck money when you’re not even there! Before heading out of town for a summer trip, make sure to follow these Getzschman Heating & Cooling tips and save big.

Adjust Your Thermostat

Don’t turn it off completely. That will cause you to return to a stale and sticky home, and it could even cost you more! Turning your air conditioner off while you’re away for an extended period of time can cause your furniture and walls to absorb moisture and humidity, which can damage them, as well as tax your system even harder when you turn it on again. It can also cause that heat and humidity to seep into your refrigerator, making it work even harder to keep your food cool. For every degree a thermostat is raised during the summer, you can save 2-3 percent of your electricity bill. The air conditioning technicians at Getzscman suggest adjusting your thermostat by raising the temperature 5-6 degrees. And be sure to use your programmable thermostat if you have one. You can adjust the temperature by date. That means you can come back to a comfortable home the day you return.

Learn how to use a programmable thermostat to save more regularly with this blog post: Set a Programmable Thermostat Like a Pro & See the Savings Pile Up.

Keep Blinds and Shades Closed

To keep your air conditioner working efficiently, close all the blinds and drapes in your home. They can help conserve heat energy by keeping the sun’s rays out of your home. This keeps your home from turning into a sauna while you’re gone, and doesn’t make your air conditioner work harder than it needs to. Government studies show medium-colored blinds or draperies with white-plastic backings can reduce heat gains by 33%. Closing blinds is also a good security measure so burglars can’t see into your home.

Turn Off or Unplug Electronics

Turn off all the fans, lights and electronics in your home when you leave, unless they serve a security purpose. Unplug all unnecessary electronics as well. If they are plugged in, electronics will still use some energy even if they are turned off. If you need to keep some lights on for security purposes, make sure to install compact fluorescent bulbs, which are more energy efficient and last a long time.

For more air conditioning tips or services, call the technicians you can trust at Getzschman at (800) 657-2158.