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Don’t let your Northern Indiana or Southwest Michigan home suck money from your wallet while you’re on summer vacation this year. Follow these three tips from Home Comfort Experts before you head out of town.

Close the Blinds for Efficiency

Don’t make your AC system work any harder than it has to while you’re away. The harder your air conditioner has to work to stay at a steady temperature, the more energy it has to use, and the more money it’s costing you. One way to make sure your air conditioner will continue working efficiently is to close all the blinds and drapes in your home. This trick can help prevent solar gain {heat energy from the sun’s rays, which can heat up your home when the blinds are open). Government studies show medium-colored blinds or draperies with white plastic backings can reduce heat gain by 33%. Not to mention, keeping your blinds closed while you’re away is also a good security measure so strangers or burglars can’t see into your home.

Tweak the Thermostat

By just adjusting the dial on your thermostat instead of turning it off, you will avoid a host of problems when you return home. If you turn off your AC all together, you will return to a stale and sticky home, which can cause furniture and walls to absorb moisture and humidity. This can also tax your system even more when you get home and turn the air conditioning back on. And if that heat and humidity seeps into your refrigerator, it will also have to work harder to keep your food cool, and cost you more money. For every degree a thermostat is raised during the summer, you can save 2-3 percent of your electricity bill.  Ask your Home Comfort Expert technician how much they recommend you adjust your thermostat while you’re away on vacation. 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.

Power Down & Turn Off Electronics

Make sure you don’t waste energy by keeping your electronic devices, lamps, etc., turned on or plugged into the outlets in your home. Unless these devices serve a security purpose, unplug everything. Even if electronics are turned off, they can still suck energy if they are plugged into an outlet, wasting your money. 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 longer than regular bulbs. An added benefit to unplugging electronics is that if there is a storm while you’re gone, they are protected from any power surges.

For more air conditioning tips or services, call the Home Comfort Experts.