Are you planning a summer vacation? Are you ready to hit the road and enjoy your time away from home?

While there’s nothing more exciting than taking a trip, you need to prepare your home accordingly. During the summer months, this means making a few changes in regards to your AC and other means of keeping your home cool.

Here are three tips you can follow:

• Raise the thermostat to 80 degrees (or higher). With this approach, your home will use less energy while you’re away. Subsequently, your cooling bill won’t be nearly as high.
• Close the shades. You’re searching for ways to keep the sun out, as this means your AC doesn’t have to work as hard. One of the best options is to close the shades and blinds. You don’t need natural light when you’re not at home to enjoy it.
• Use a smart thermostat. With this, you can monitor the temperature in your home and make changes accordingly. Also, you can program your thermostat to cool your home down in the hours leading up to your arrival.

You’ll have many things on your mind as you prepare your home before leaving for vacation.

While you may have some concerns about keeping it cool and saving money on cooling costs, these tips will go a long way in helping you out. Have a great time on your trip!