Homeowners
Indoor Comfort Systems
Zoning an Existing Home
Your forced-air heating and cooling system has a system of ducts that moves air from the blower throughout the home. The system is typically controlled with a centrally located thermostat, which delivers the same amount of conditioned air to all the rooms in the home. This may cause some rooms in your house to be too hot or too cold. In fact, some homes can experience a wide range in temperatures from one area of their home to another.
One way to address this problem and deliver conditioned air where it is needed, and not to places where it isn’t needed, is by adding zone control technology.
Instead of a one temperature fits all rooms approach, a zoned heating and cooling system provides improved comfort and encourages energy conservation by using a system of dampers and programmable thermostats to deliver conditioned air only to areas when they are occupied.
Working with a heating and cooling contractor with experience installing zone control systems, you can determine the number of zones you would like in your house. Each zone gets its own programmable thermostat you set to whatever temperature you want for that area.
Adding Zoning to Your Heating and Cooling System
Even if your home is not currently zoned, if you have a forced-air system, it can be zoned. An ideal time to consider zone controls is when you are replacing your heating and cooling equipment. But even if you're not ready to replace equipment now, your contractor can usually recommend an economical way to add zoning.
This is done by adding dampers to the ductwork and some wiring for additional thermostats. Dampers installed in the ducts give the user control over how much air is distributed to a particular zone. A zone can be a room or floor of a building; you can work with your contractor to decide on the number of zones you want in your home.
The damper system works differently than just closing a vent on a floor or wall. When you shut the vent, the heated or cooled air still must travel the length of the duct to reach the outlet. When it is denied an exit, the air usually sits in the pipe and becomes room temperature.
A damper is usually installed at the mouth of a distribution duct and either permits or allows airflow at that point. This maintains the pressure in the duct and redistributes the airflow to the rest of the structure. HVAC zone control dampers range in sizes to fit your ducts and can be round or rectangular depending on your duct style. They also can be powered by electricity or by compressed air. They also are available in "normally open" or "normally closed," depending on their intended location.
Is Zoning Right for You?
Obviously, temperature and energy savings are the key benefits to having a zoning system. But many individuals are not sure if zoning is for them. Take Our Quiz to find out if zoning makes sense for your home.
With fuel prices going up, zoning can help you save energy, while enhancing your comfort. Unfortunately, with zoning because it is an additional cost to adding or replacing for air conditioning and heating system, a homeowner may want to avoid the expense. But zoning can pay for itself through additional energy savings. A single zoning system can save 20 percent to 30 percent in a typical heating and cooling bill. Most installations are in larger homes with an estimated saving of over 5000 kWh per year, depending on energy use and climate conditions.
Contact a Zone Control Manufacturer to find a qualified installer in your area.