• Change your thermostat settings before you leave—you don’t need to cool your home if nobody is there to enjoy it! Either turn your thermostat to a higher temperature, or turn it off altogether.
• Similar advice goes for your water heater, which can draw a lot of energy. Turn it to a low setting or turn it off completely. However, you should only turn it off if you will be gone for more than 3 days.
• Unplug appliances and electronics, or make sure they are plugged into a surge protector that is turned off. This protects your devices from power surges in your absence, as well as keeping them from sucking unnecessary power even while off.
• Depending on the length of your vacation, you might want to clear out your refrigerator and freezer as well so you can turn them off completely.
• If you have a pool, check the settings on your pool pump to make sure it will function properly while you are gone.

If you have people watching your house (picking up your mail, feeding pets, etc.) there are several things they can do for you as well, including:

• Keep drapes and curtains closed during sunny days to keep temperatures cool inside.
• Set lights on timers if you want to have lights on while you are away. Motion-detectors are a great option for this, too!
• If your trip is rather lengthy, have someone check your pool to make sure pool if operating properly—you don’t want to come home to an algae buildup!

Click here to learn more about preparing your home for summer vacation.

Looking for more ways to save energy around your home? Learn how to save energy in your kitchen by clicking here.

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