4 Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Electric Bill While Traveling

One of the worst feelings after a trip is walking into the house and seeing a bedroom light that has been on the whole time. Paying more than usual on your electric bill is the last thing you want to worry about after spending money on a vacation. Leaving a light on is an honest mistake, and it is easy to make when you are rushing out the door with suitcases. This short checklist covers the main energy saving bases before you leave.

Shut off your thermostat

Depending on how long you are gone during the warmer months, turning the thermostat off is totally okay. There is little point in keeping the house cool for two weeks when no one is home. If you have a smart thermostat, you can even set it to kick back on a day or so before you return, so the house is comfortable when you walk in.

Northwest Arkansas summers are humid, so if you plan to be gone for a long stretch, think about how long the house will sit closed up. For a short trip, raising the setting a few degrees may suit you better than turning the system off. In winter, do not turn the heat off completely. Leave it at a moderate setting so the pipes stay protected when a cold snap arrives while you are away.

Turn off the water heater

Another feature of your home that will not be used while you are gone is the water heater. One way to save on it is to shut off the circuit breaker to the tank, which applies to an electric model. If you are worried about frozen pipes, another tactic is to turn on the vacation setting on your water heater. Many gas models have a vacation mode on the control, and some electric ones do too.

Whichever route you choose, adjust the heater the night before you take off, and check your owner's manual if you are not sure where the setting is. When you get home, give the tank time to heat back up before you expect a full hot shower.

Switch off the lights

This is the golden rule of traveling. A great way to make sure it gets done is to check every room the morning you leave and confirm the lights are off. It does not hurt to have more than one person check, and closets, garages, and bathrooms are the rooms most often forgotten.

If you like the look of a lived-in house while you are away, a timer or a smart plug on one lamp is a better choice than leaving a light on for days.

Update your devices

A good rule of thumb is to make sure all of your devices are updated before you go. That covers smart thermostats, smart plugs, and the other connected gadgets that manage power in your home, since an old version can miss a schedule or lose its connection. Check that each one is online and set the way you intended.

One of the best signs of whether your systems are recording accurately is what your electricity bill ends up totaling after you have followed all of these steps. If a bill still comes in high for a month when the house sat empty, something is drawing power that you did not plan on, and it is worth tracking down.

• Turn the thermostat off or adjust it, and use a smart thermostat to bring it back before you return.
• Switch off the water heater at the breaker or use its vacation setting, the night before you leave.
• Check every room the morning you go to be sure the lights are off.
• Update your smart devices and confirm they are working as you set them.

When something does not look right

If a breaker keeps tripping, a light flickers, or the bill stays high no matter what you do, the cause may be in the wiring or an appliance instead of a habit. That is worth having a licensed electrician look at instead of guessing.

For any questions about your home's electrical system, Allied's electrical team can help. Call (479) 278-4508.