Energy use doesn’t take a vacation when you do

 May 25, 2008

Our family is going to Europe this summer for several weeks. I’m worried about leaving the house unattended. Are there things I can do to make sure it’s still intact when we return and my energy bill isn’t sky high?

This time of year we receive a lot of inquiries like yours as people take off for summer vacations. Everyone has heard a horror story about a freezer shutting off while the homeowners were away, pipes bursting or other such calamities. Fortunately there are things you can do to avoid such mishaps and also reduce your energy use while you are gone.

The best bet is to have a neighbor or friend keep an eye on the house. Ask him or her to take in the mail and newspapers and do a “walk-through” at least once or twice a week to check on things. That way if something does happen — such as a water pipe or hose bursting — the damage can be minimized.

To save energy while you’re away, shut off the water heater at the circuit breaker if it’s an electric model. If it is a gas water heater, turn the gas valve to the pilot or vacation setting. Refer to your owner’s manual for details. Also unplug instant hot water devices under sinks or they’ll continue to draw electricity.

It makes no sense to cool an empty house. Turn up the central air conditioning and heat pump thermostat settings and unplug room air conditioners to minimize their operation. Use common sense on how warm you allow the house to get if you have plants or other belongings that could be harmed. A rule of thumb is for each degree you raise the temperature, you’ll save between 1 and 2 percent on the cooling portion of your energy bill.

Refrigerators and freezers can waste energy. If the home will be vacant for several weeks, empty the refrigerator and unplug it. Place a box of baking soda on a shelf and leave the door propped open. If the door is left closed, you may return to a smelly refrigerator.

If you can’t empty the fridge completely, get rid of perishable foods, set the refrigerator to a warmer setting and fill it with a few gallon jugs of water. This reduces temperature fluctuations in the fridge and saves energy.

Freezers are another story since it may be impractical to completely empty them. It’s probably best to leave a freezer on and have your neighbor occasionally check that it’s working.

For home security, install timers on a lamp or two inside the house and on outdoor security lights, unless they are motion detector lights. Install compact fluorescent light bulbs in security lights, except motion detector lights. (CFL bulbs are not designed to be used with motion sensors, which often turn on and off very frequently and for very short periods of time.) Another security tip is to have a TV or radio plugged into a timer to turn on when you’d typically be home to discourage prowlers.

Unplug all appliances and electronic equipment, which will continue to use energy even when switched off because of internal power needs. These include computers, battery chargers, printers, DVD players and most televisions. To save time, instead of unplugging electronic devices individually, plug them into a quality surge suppressor strip that allows you to turn them on and off all at once.

One final note: we’ve learned from customers that it’s best not to leave small pets such as reptiles or fish at home on their own. Power outages can happen and turn off heat lamps and aerators needed by these pets. Leave these pets with a friend, board them or hire a pet sitter to check on them while you’re gone to ensure their safety.