Quote:
Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy
Don't forget that some refrigerators can have difficulty if the temperature gets too cold. We had that problem before we turned the old fridge into a boat.
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After having a fridge actually start to collapse into itself slowly over several years I now have a better appreciation for this problem. Fridges that have a auto-defrost mechanism are prone to problems if they are left plug in.... However as long as you keep the heat in the above freezing range I think you should be ok.... The issue come when the temp goes below freezing and the systems starts to sense a Ice up condition and starts to thaw itself... this leads to all sort of problems, ultimately cause a shortened life for the fridge......
I usually don't recommend anything less then 50 degrees to people when leaving a home. Now assuming the house is insulated this is generally very easy to maintain. This house will almost maintain the temperature just through thermal heating during the day and slow dissipation at night. Obviously the better the insulation, the better the home retains the heat. The problem with going lower is the response time needed if things go south in a cold spell. At 50 degrees you have some time. Additionally at 50 degrees the areas far away from the Thermostat never drop to low.
Now with all this said, if you have internet capabilities there are many monitor systems as someone mentioned. They come of course in all shapes and sizes depending on what you want. My cousin who has a place in Ossipee has one that will allow him to actually change the thermostat setting. So he can keep the place at 50.... and then when he knows he is going up for a weekend he can turn things up Friday morning, and when he arrives things are more reasonable to deal with. This system has also allowed him to turn the heat off spring and fall periods where he knows the furnace is kicking on only only briefly at night for a quick boost. Although these systems do cost some money up front, having the ability to check on things at your camp and saving by cutting back consumption, gives you savings in the long run with a piece of mind. If I ever decide the camp is coming down for a year around place, a monitor and control system will be designed in as part of the build criteria.