Whether you're thinking of palm trees and sandy beaches or someplace that's a little bit cooler, there's a good chance you're hyped about your summer vacation. Before you go, it's a good idea to make sure your HVAC system can keep your home in good shape while you're away. Here are a few things you should do to your HVAC system before heading out the door.

Schedule a Tune-Up Before You Leave

One of the best pre-vacation investments you can make is to have a seasoned technician take a look at your HVAC system before you leave. Your HVAC technician will go through your entire system with a fine-tooth comb, looking for any issues that could affect your HVAC system while you're away. If there are any parts that are worn out or defective, your HVAC technician can make adjustments or replace these parts as needed.

Having a technician check and tune your HVAC system ensures that your equipment remains reliable throughout your vacation and long after you've come home. A comprehensive checkup can also help your HVAC system use less energy throughout its lifespan.

Consider Installing a Whole-House Surge Protector

Don't forget that summer is also thunderstorm season. It only takes a single lightning strike to sideline your HVAC equipment, especially if it isn't adequately protected against the power surges that lightning strikes can produce.

If you haven't done so already, you should consider having a whole-house surge protector installed for your HVAC system and other appliances in your home. This precautionary step will save you a lot of trouble if an outage occurs while you're on vacation.

Check Your Thermostat

An empty house means different rules when it comes to managing your home's indoor temperatures. Using your normal settings could result in wasted energy, since you won't need as much cooling as you'd normally need when you're at home. Instead, you'll want to increase your thermostat temperature a few degrees above what you'd normally use. Kicking your thermostat up a few notches can help maintain a stable indoor environment without wasting a whole lot of electricity.

It's a good idea to keep your HVAC system on while you're on vacation. This way, your HVAC system will be able to effectively manage your home's indoor humidity and prevent mold and mildew from gaining a foothold.

Open Those Vents

if you have a habit of keeping air vents in your unused rooms closed while you're at home, it's a good idea to open these up before setting off on your vacation. Closed vents not only put additional stress on your HVAC system, but they also prevent your unit from cooling every room in your home uniformly. Closed vents can produce hotspots that take more time and energy to cool down, resulting in wasted energy and unnecessary wear on your HVAC equipment.

Don't Forget to Change Your Air Filter

Changing your air filter is one of the simplest things you can do to your HVAC system — all it usually takes is opening up a panel and swapping a dirty filter for clean one. Unfortunately, it's also the most overlooked of any HVAC maintenance task, especially if you're busy getting ready for your vacation. To keep this from happening, you can write down a short reminder to change your air filter on a sticky note and place it on your front door. This way, you'll be sure that you won't forget to tackle this relatively simple task.

So what's the big deal about changing your air filter? As it turns out, keeping a clogged-up air filter in place can drag down your HVAC system's overall energy efficiency. It also places your unit at greater risk of breaking down unexpectedly while you're away.