A winter trip should be something you can enjoy without having to worry about what might happen to your house while you’re away. The right thermostat setting can lower your energy use and help protect your pipes from freezing. It can also give you better control over your home with the help of a smart thermostat. With a little planning, you can enjoy your vacation and come back to a comfortable home in White Plains or elsewhere in Southern Maryland.
Why Thermostat Settings Matter During Winter Trips
Your furnace does more than keep your living space comfortable. It also helps to protect your home from the cold. If you shut the heat off in winter, indoor temperatures can drop quickly. Pipes can freeze and burst. Wood floors and furniture can warp or crack. You could come home to a cold house with new damage instead of a space that is ready to welcome you back.
The goal for winter vacation prep is simple. Keep your home warm enough to protect pipes and furnishings, but cool enough that you will not be wasting money by heating an empty house. The right thermostat setting depends on how long you will be away and how well your home is insulated.
Best Thermostat Settings by Trip Length
Weekend Winter Getaways
If you are gone for a couple of days, you can turn the thermostat down a bit and still keep the house safely above freezing.
For most homes, setting the thermostat around 60 to 62 degrees Fahrenheit works well for a short winter trip. This keeps your home above the danger zone for frozen pipes while still saving energy compared to a normal setting of 68 to 72 degrees. Leave the thermostat on “heat” and “auto” rather than turning the system off completely.
If you have pets that will be remaining at home while you’re away, or you’re concerned about sensitive items such as musical instruments, keep the temperature a little higher, closer to your usual comfort setting.
Weeklong Winter Vacations
For trips that last seven to 10 days, you can usually lower the thermostat a few more degrees. This works best in houses with good insulation and no plumbing that runs through cold, unheated spaces.
A common target for longer winter vacations is 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This range keeps interior walls and floors warmer than the outside air, helping to protect plumbing and lowering your energy use.
If the forecast calls for a severe cold snap, choose the higher end of that range, around 60 degrees, for extra peace of mind.
Extended Trips Lasting Longer Than 2 Weeks
For trips lasting longer than two weeks, you need to think beyond the thermostat number and consider the whole house. In most cases, you can still use the 55-to-60-degree range, but it becomes more important to prepare the home and use remote monitoring if possible.
For very long trips, some homeowners choose to shut off the main water supply and drain certain pipes for an added layer of protection. A smart thermostat and temperature or leak sensors can send alerts if the temperature falls too low, or a leak is detected. This is especially helpful when you will not be nearby for several weeks.
How to Prevent Frozen Pipes While You Are Away
Even with a good thermostat setting, certain parts of the home are more vulnerable to freezing. Pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces, basements, or garages can be at higher risk when the temperature drops.
Before you leave for your winter vacation, walk through your home and look for any plumbing that sits near outside walls.
These simple steps, combined with a safe thermostat setting, can lower the chance of frozen pipes while you are out of town:
- Open cabinet doors under the kitchen and bathroom sinks.
- Close and lock windows to reduce drafts.
- Seal gaps in drafty basements or crawlspaces.
- Leave interior doors slightly open for better airflow.
- Have someone you trust do a cold-weather check for heat and leaks.
- Replace dirty furnace filters.
- Schedule a heating tune-up before winter if the system has not been serviced recently.
These small steps help warm air move through your home and cut down on cold spots where pipes can freeze. That support makes it easier for your system to hold the lower setting you choose while you are away.
Smart Thermostats and Remote Monitoring
Smart thermostats are one of the easiest ways to manage your home while you are away in winter. They can automatically adjust temperatures on a schedule, offer a vacation or away mode, and give you remote access from your phone so you can check in from anywhere.
With a smart thermostat, you can set your home to 58 degrees while you are away, then turn the temperature back up the day before you return so you walk into a warm house. Many models also send alerts if the temperature drops below a set point, which can warn you about a possible system issue or power outage before it turns into a bigger problem.
Some homeowners add smart leak detectors near water heaters, sump pumps, and under sinks. Together with a smart thermostat, these smart devices provide remote monitoring and alert you to leaks or low temperatures even when you are far from home.
Energy Savings From Vacation Thermostat Settings
Turning the thermostat down while you are away helps lower your winter power bill. A cooler house means your heating system runs less and uses less energy.
Small thermostat changes can still save money on winter trips. Lowering the setting a few degrees when you travel helps cut your utility bill. A smart thermostat holds that lower temperature for you while you are away.
Keep in mind there is a lower limit. In cold climates, setting the thermostat below the mid-50s for long stretches can raise the risk of problems, especially in older homes or houses with pipes in exterior walls.
Get Your Home Ready With Southern Pride Service in White Plains, MD
At Southern Pride Service, we help homeowners in White Plains and the surrounding Southern Maryland area stay warm in winter. Our team can match you with a smart thermostat, handle the installation, and check that your heating system is ready for the colder months.
We offer heating and cooling services, including furnace and heat pump maintenance, repairs, emergency visits, and energy-saving upgrades like smart thermostat installation and indoor air quality products. Whether you are planning a short winter getaway or an extended trip, we can help you choose thermostat settings and equipment that keep your home safe and efficient while you are away.
We proudly serve homeowners in White Plains and surrounding communities throughout Maryland with trusted, local HVAC expertise. Contact our team at Southern Pride Service today to schedule heating service or a smart thermostat upgrade before your next winter vacation.
