When and Why to Consider an HVAC Zoning System
While standard, central HVAC systems heat and cool homes uniformly, zoned HVAC systems divide buildings into separate service areas. This allows for the regulation of temperatures in each zone independently. This minimizes energy waste by directing conditioned air away from empty, unused rooms. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), an HVAC zoning system could cut as much as 30% off your annual heating and cooling costs. Read on to learn when and why to consider zoning for your Anaheim, CA home.
What an HVAC Zoning System Is and How It Works
With zoning central heating and cooling systems, our HVAC technicians create separate service areas according to the needs and preferences of residents, building layouts, and other factors. Modern zoning systems can support approximately two to four service areas.
Each service area has its own thermostat, and residents can adjust each thermostat independently of the others. These thermostats communicate with a central zone control system that regulates the distribution of heated and cooled air. HVAC duct dampers open and close in response to zone control signals so that conditioned air flows only where it’s wanted or needed.
Exploring the Benefits of HVAC Zoning
Many two-story homes have their bedrooms upstairs. When residents go to bed, a standard HVAC system will continue sending conditioned air to empty downstairs areas. With a zoned HVAC system, you won’t have to waste energy to heat and cool an entire floor excessively even when it’s empty.
Avoid Heated Arguments
Thermostat settings are a highly contentious subject in most households. If you have multiple people living in your home, there’s a good chance that they have dramatically different temperature preferences. With a zoned HVAC system, each person can create the conditions they want in their immediate area.
Eliminate Human Error
As per the DOE, homeowners can save energy and money year-round by lowering or raising their thermostat settings by 7 to 10 degrees when leaving for work or going to bed. With a zoned heating and cooling system that’s governed by smart thermostats, you can eliminate the potential for oversight and human error in these adjustments. Your zoned HVAC system will make these adjustments automatically throughout the day.
Boost the Value of Your Home
HVAC zoning is an increasingly popular modification to residential climate control systems. By installing a zoned system, you can increase both the value and the marketability of your property. Zoned HVAC systems are an attractive home feature for modern, eco-conscious buyers.
Who Needs a Zoned HVAC System?
For small, single-story homes with one or two bedrooms and limited communal areas, standard central heating and cooling systems make sense. Zoned HVAC systems work well for large, multiroom, and multistory buildings. With lots of square footage to heat and cool, zoning can dramatically reduce energy waste.
Households With Different Preferences and Needs
If the members of your household frequently complain about how warm or cold the house is, zoning your HVAC system is an excellent option. Zoning is ideal for households that include older adults and people of any age with chronic health problems.
‘Room Jumpers’
Many modern zone control systems offer geo-fencing. This establishes virtual boundaries both in and around buildings. Smart thermostats with geo-fencing capabilities track residents’ movements throughout these boundaries and then adjust their settings accordingly. For instance, if you’re lounging in your living room and retire to your bedroom, geo-fencing will direct conditioned air away from where you were to where you currently are.
This feature constantly streamlines HVAC-related energy use as residents bounce from room to room. Moreover, if you happen to dash out of the house unexpectedly, geo-fencing thermostats will revert to your “away” temperature settings to optimize your energy savings.
Homes With Hot and Cold Spots
HVAC zoning is also an excellent heating and cooling system for homes with hot and cold spots. If your house has areas that always feel colder or hotter than the rest of the building, you can use a zone control system to create greater comfort and uniformity.
As a family-owned business, Alps Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. has been serving residents of Anaheim and the surrounding cities for more than 30 years. We offer cutting-edge heating and cooling solutions, including HVAC zoning, smart thermostats, and customized HVAC air duct designs.
To learn more about HVAC zoning system installation in your home, contact Alps Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. in Anaheim today!