Winterize Your Home Before You Go on Vacation

5 Tips for Saving While You’re Away

It’s been a challenging year, and you’re probably itching to go on vacation. Families all across America are packing bags, booking flights, and hitting the road again. Perhaps your family is too. But as you make your travel plans, don’t forget to think about the house you’ll be leaving behind. You’re going on vacation to relax, make sure you don’t get a rude welcome home when you see your energy bill. There are a few things you should do to winterize your home before you go on vacation. These will help lower your energy bills so you can keep you vacation vibes going a little bit longer.

Here are six tips for saving money while you’re away on vacation this winter:

1. Adjust your thermostat: You can’t completely turn the heat off in your Connecticut home while you’re away. Winter in New England means freezing temperatures, and even though your home will be empty, you need to think about your pipes. Set your thermostat high enough so that your pipes won’t free, but not as high as if you were living there.
2. Adjust your water heater: Heating water makes up roughly 20% of your home energy costs. While you’re on vacation, there’s no reason to have your water heater running like you’re home. Check to see if your water heater has a vacation setting. If it doesn’t, you can lower the temperature 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Really unplug: Often called energy vampires, there are devices that consume energy even when they’re not being used. For example, anything with a digital clock (your microwave or coffee maker) is using energy even when you’re not using it. Unplug as many energy vampires as you can before you go away on vacation. Unplug items that tend to be on standby rather than fully off. Unplug chargers, TVs, washers and dryers, printers, and gaming systems. Unplug everything you don’t need running while you’re gone. Be thoughtful in what you unplug. Do you want your DVR to keep recording? Don’t unplug it or anything that supports it.
4. Leave a light on (sometimes): It may seem counterintuitive, but you don’t want your home to be completely dark. A house that’s dark the entire time you’re gone will have a lower energy bill, but it may also be an invitation to observant burglars. There are economical solutions to this dilemma. Rather than leaving a light on all the time, set a couple indoor lights on timers and install motion sensors on your outdoor lights to provide some security without adding too much to your energy bill.
5. Insulate & Seal Leaks: If your home is energy efficient, you’ll save money on your energy bills all year long. You’ll also find your home isn’t as cold when you come back to it because it will lose warmth more slowly. Caulk windows and add weather stripping to doors to help your home better maintain its temperature. You can also add plastic coverings to your windows during the winter. Add insulation to any uninsulated or under-insulated spaces in your home like the attic.

Finally, if you’re not an automatic delivery customer, make sure you’re not low on propane or heating oil before you leave for vacation. You don’t want to have to worry about scheduling a delivery when you return. If you are an automatic delivery customer, let Hocon know before you leave town so we can adjust your delivery schedule if needed.

Hocon has six strategic locations that serve residents and companies throughout Connecticut and in parts of Massachusetts and New York. We’re one of the largest family-owned propane and fuel oil suppliers in the region. Click here to find the branch closest to you.

Contact Hocon today to take advantage of our exceptional service and competitive prices.