Do you have trouble keeping your home heated or cooled evenly? Is one room stiflingly hot in summer or freezing cold in winter? Or do some family members prefer a warm room while others like a cooler temperature? All these issues can be solved with a zoned heating and cooling system.
What Is Zoned Heating and Cooling?
An HVAC zoning system breaks a house up into different zones. In each zone the temperature is controlled by a different thermostat. Having a zoned heating and cooling system lets you set different temperatures in different parts of the house.
How HVAC Zoning Works
In an HVAC system air is distributed throughout the entire home via a duct network. Inside the ducts dampers are installed to control airflow. A damper is like valve that either blocks air or lets it flow through, depending on whether it’s open or closed.
A zoned heating and cooling system has automatic dampers. This means the dampers that lead to multiple zones can be controlled electronically. The dampers that control each zone are linked to a separate thermostat. This lets each thermostat control the dampers for one zone without affecting the dampers in any other zone.
For instance, in summer, if the temperature in one zone increases higher than the set temperature, this triggers the thermostat, which triggers the dampers in that zone to open. This lets more cool air into that zone, bringing the temperature down. Once the temperature is at the desired point, the thermostat closes the dampers.
Pros and Cons of HVAC Zoning
Pro: Even Temperature Distribution
Most homes have one or two spots where the temperatures are uneven. It may get hotter than the rest of the house in summer or colder than the rest of the house in winter—or even both! This happens most often in large homes and multi-level homes, but it’s an issue in many single-level homes too.
In multi-level homes uneven temperatures are particularly common because hot air rises. The top floor is usually the hottest part of the house and may reach uncomfortable temperatures during summer. An AC zoning system solves this problem by adjusting the temperature of each floor independently of the others.
Pro: Comfortable Temperatures for Every Family Member
It’s common for different people in a household to have their own unique temperature preferences. A zoned AC system is perfect when everyone is constantly adjusting the thermostat to suit what they prefer in the room they’re in at the time.
By zoning bedrooms or the home office, for instance, everyone can control temperatures in their own rooms to their own liking, without affecting anyone else’s comfort.
Pro: More Efficient Heating and Cooling
With a zoned AC system, you’re in complete control over which rooms get the benefit of heating and cooling. It’s even more efficient with programmable thermostats, since you can program the AC or heat to turn on in different zones at different times.
This means you no longer have to waste energy on heating and cooling rooms that aren’t being used. And the rooms you do use are temperature-controlled more efficiently because they’re controlled independently.
Con: Upfront Costs Can be High
Installing zoned AC can be expensive, especially in an older home that wasn’t designed for this kind of system. Extra electrical components need to be installed in every location where you want automatic dampers. And if the ductwork system wasn’t designed with zoning in mind, it may need some modifications to make zoning work.
It can be a large upfront cost but worth it in the long run because as well as long-term energy savings, it can also add to the value of your home.
Con: Maintenance and Repairs Can Be More Challenging
A zoned HVAC system has extra dampers, thermostats, and electrical components. This means it can be a little more difficult to find the source of any problems that develop. Plus, there may be extra maintenance work needed to keep the system running efficiently.
Does Your Home Need Heating and Cooling Zones?
In general, there are two situations where it’s almost always a good idea to have a zoned HVAC system. These systems are most beneficial in homes that are larger than average or in homes that have two or more levels. In larger homes you’re more likely to need the precise temperature control you get with zoned heating and cooling. And in multi-level homes it’s often the case that the upper floor is much hotter during the summer.
Smaller single-level homes don’t always benefit from zoned HVAC. But sometimes there are factors that make it worthwhile. In a very hot climate, for instance, many homes have one or two rooms that get uncomfortably hot during the summer and benefit from an AC zoning system.
Zoned heating and cooling may be a good idea if your home has one or more rooms that have special functions; for instance:
- An indoor gym
- An indoor pool
- A greenhouse
- An office in the garage
- Any other room that doesn’t fit into the usual sleeping or living categories
Another reason to have an AC zoning system is if your home has large windows in any rooms. Unless you have double- or triple-glazing, large windows tend to let lots of heat either in or out. A room with big windows is often too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Zoning that room can make the desired temperature more comfortable and let you enjoy using the room year round.
Call CW Service Pros for Expert Advice on Zoned Heating and Cooling
Does your home have one or two rooms that go unused because they’re never at a comfortable temperature? Do you find yourself constantly adjusting the thermostat every time you enter a different room? Zoned heating and cooling could be the solution that makes your home more comfortable for everyone.
CW Service Pros are the HVAC technicians and experts to talk to. We can get your home HVAC system zoned for comfort, all year round.