Summer houses are dream homes. They’re the place you go to when you want to get away from the bustling city life, work, and everyday problems—a place to relax, sit back, and enjoy the sun. Summer houses are our dreams come true!
However, these houses are only magical in the summer. What happens to them for the rest of the year? If not taken care of properly, they can get ruined.
Well, here’s how you can make sure that your summer house remains beautiful and fresh, even while you’re gone.
What Temperature to Leave a Vacant House in Summer?
The best temperature to leave your vacant house in the summer is 85 degrees. According to all the experts, this is the absolute best setting you can maintain on the house thermostat—50 degrees for winter and 85 degrees for summers.
Why you might ask? Well, this is the best way to decrease your energy bills! If you keep your house cool in the summer, you’re just paying extra money for an empty house, which is not necessary. Pay for energy usage when you’re there and not when you’re away at your city home.
How Long Should you Leave your House Vacant in Summer?
You can leave your house vacant for around 30 days. However, if you leave it empty for more than that, it is time you start considering home insurance.
There are different insurance policies that you can look over. This is necessary because a vacant house can attract many problems, and you’ll need an insurance agency’s help if it gets worse.
A few of them are as follows:
1. Water leakage: if you forget to turn the water off, you’ve left the house at risk of leaks and valve breakage.
2. Electricity: Using no electricity for a long time can lead to circuit problems. You need to know which switches need to be turned off during the summer and what they have to stay on.
3. Security: Many robbers feel that vacant summer houses are the best place to steal from. Vacant houses also become a hotspot for squatters. You never know who’s staying at your summer house while you’re away.
On the other hand, insurance will protect you from any damages and any extra money you might have to fork up for repairs.
Should You Heat And Cool An Empty House?
Yes, you should. Depending on where your house is located, it is imperative to maintain a good indoor temperature.
If your summer house is in a warm geographical location, you might want to cool it down a little. This is important so that mold doesn’t start growing or insects don’t come and settle in. You might also consider keeping the drapes closed and keeping the inner-house temperature at equilibrium.
Should I Turn AC ON Or OFF in a Vacant House in Summer?
You should keep your AC on but on a lower setting. AC systems and air handlers not only keep the house cool but also maintain the temperature.
As we’ve talked about before, it is important to keep a temperature balance. This is to ensure that mold, decay, moisture doesn’t set in. It also ensures that the house is ventilated at all times, and the stench of stale air doesn’t take over.
What are the Recommended Thermostat Settings for Summer?
The recommended thermostat setting for the summer is 78F (26C). This thermostat temperature ensures that the house stays cool and the bills stay low. Reading this temperature might seem too high for you. But trust us, this is the ideal setting!
However, if you’re still worried, here are some things you can do to keep your home comfortable:
1. Draw the curtains to block out sunlight and keep the house cool
2. Install fresh weather stripping and caulk around the windows and doors. Ensure that the home is sealed
3. Turn off all appliances that generate heat. For example, the oven, stove, and a clothing iron
4. Install ceiling fans in every room
5. Use energy-efficient cooling units
Benefits of Smart Thermostats
A smart thermostat is a WiFi thermostat. It allows you to easily adjust the temperature inside your home remotely through your smartphone. If you haven’t already installed one, here are five reasons why you should:
1. It helps to minimize energy costs. You can ensure that the house is using less energy while you’re away
2. It helps you track the amount of energy used
3. It ensures remote thermostat control. If you’re having energy bill problems, you can easily control the temperature at the summer home and decrease costs for yourself
4. It decreases costs and usage of HVAC services
5. It’s extremely easy to install
Other Ways to Make a Vacant Home Energy Efficient
If the ways mentioned above aren’t enough to ensure that your summer home is energy efficient, here are eight other ways that you can try:
1. Use rugs on the bare floor. Rugs can easily trap heat on hardwood floors, decreasing the need for heating systems.
2. Block sunlight from windows. Ensure that cool air is let out in the winters and kept in during the summer. Insulation also makes sure that the house is ventilated and stale air isn’t gathering inside.
3. Use energy-efficient light bulbs. They shine bright and cost less!
4. Make use of smart power strips. Use power strips like Alexa and Google to ensure no extra appliance is turned on inside your vacant home. Electronic devices often draw power even while off and use power strips to make sure that they aren’t using extra energy.
5. Make sure that you aren’t heating an empty home. Keep the temperature of the house at a balanced level.
6. Seal all the doors and windows so that drafts can’t get in or out.
7. Ensure proper air circulation in the house via the right kind of ceiling fan. You need ceiling fans that push air down and circulate it throughout the room to cool the house.
8. Make sure you vacuum and dust the refrigerator before you close up the summer house. This will ensure that there aren’t any faulty coils, and no breakdowns will occur while you’re gone.
Summary
Summer houses are magical, but sadly these wonderful vacation homes are only for the summer. The rest of the time, we have to take care of them remotely. So, you must ensure that they aren’t taking up too much energy and that they are well-cared for.
If you follow the steps we’ve highlighted above and pay attention to the guidance we’ve provided, your summer house will be absolutely fine. All you have to do is put some effort into locking everything down, keeping the right thermostat temperature, and making sure everything works perfectly.
After all, you don’t want a fault to occur behind your back. That would be bad for everyone, but if that happens, make sure you have insurance to back you up.
One last thing to remember: always keep the house at 85 degrees when you aren’t there. If you do, you’ll find maintaining a summer home will be as easy as pie.