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Is it safe to leave air conditioners running while on vacation?

We will be leaving for vacation for 2 weeks. We have two window unit air conditioners. My partner wants to have them run on energysaver cycle while we're gone to keep the condo from heating up. I say that they should be off the entire time because a) it's a safety hazard and b) An Inconvenient Truth impacted my thought process. What do you think?

Public Comments

1. The air conditioner uses more electricity than any other appliance in your household. It should be turned off when not in use for monetary reasons. And it probably is a bit safer as well.
2. If No One Is Going To Be Home To Feel The AC Why Keep It Going? Save On Your Electric Bill And Turn Them Off. You Can Cool The Condo When You Get Home. :0)
3. I would really be afraid to leave window air conditioners on for any length of time if you aren't going to be home. I wouldn't do it, for many reasons, one would be the electic bill.
4. I'm a HVAC mechanic if you had a central unit I'd say turn it up to 76-78 and leave it on. Window units I would have to say shut them off. Two reasons safety and probably a $300 to $400 electric bill.
5. Turn those air conditioners off!!! Its a hazard leaving them on, especially when you are not. It also drains electricity. Plus you aren't going to be there, so why would it matter how hot it is? Just turn them back on when you get back. Also, I'd suggest maybe taking them out because people could get in through the window possibly.
6. I would go with the energy saver. You don't want to come home to a heat box. You should keep air circulating. If not both then one and a fan. Believe me everyone does it. With my central unit I usually just turn it up to about 75 and leave it.
7. Personally, a window unit should remain off if no one will be home. It will unnecessarily consume energy for no reason; if anything, have someone go to your place the day you're coming home to turn them on. A central air conditioning unit, for those who are interested, can stay on, but the temperature should be turned up, again for energy saving concerns. All air conditioners should not run during lightning storms, as a lightning strike close to your unit could knock out the compressor, leaving you out of an air conditioner.
8. set them to start up with in a couple of hours, befor you return.
9. I think it would be good to leave at least one on energy saver depending on how hot it is where you live. It takes alot of time and energy to cool the place down after being shut up for that long. If you have someone that could check in every 2 days or so to make sure they are running and not frozen up would be very good too. My family went away for 2 days last summer when it was 100 degrees and we couldnt even sleep when we got home because we turned off the air. and it took all night to cool the house down.
10. I would turn off all appliances, especially something as powerful as an air conditioner. For one, it will waste a lot of electricity in your absence. Second, a malfunction could ignite a fire. For that matter, all small appliances should also be unplugged while you are away, as lightening storms sometimes cut off power and may result in power surges which melt parts of the appliances. Why risk starting a fire???