Should I turn my AC off when I’m on vacation?
To understand why you shouldn’t turn off your air conditioner while away, you should first understand what an air conditioner does.
Yes, it cools your home. But it also removes humidity. In a climate like Kansas City that’s very important.
For optimum comfort the humidity in your house should be no higher than 50%. More than that and you run into common humidity problems, such as:
Mold
Musty odors
Peeling paint
Warped wood floors
Turning off your air conditioner means it won’t be removing the humidity from your air, leaving your home vulnerable to the problems above. It also means the temperature in your home will be very hot, which can lead to:
Placing stress on your refrigerator/freezer (increasing energy bills
Spoiling food
Harming sensitive electronics
But we also don’t recommend just leaving your thermostat as it’s set now.
Instead, turn it up
For most homeowners who are going on vacation for a week or two, it’s probably best to keep your air conditioner on. But there’s no need to cool your entire home the same way you normally do – so turn your thermostat up.
Usually a setting it around 83-86 should be about right
This should run your air conditioner enough to remove excess humidity and keep other parts of your home safe.
If you use a programmable thermostat, look for settings that will keep your thermostat from cooling your home to your normal schedule.
