In a typical home, your HVAC system is meant to heat or cool the entire place, with a single thermostat controlling everything. The whole house is supposed to be comfortable, but most of the time, that's not the case.
In a home with a thermostat controlling the HVAC system, the area where that thermostat is located is quite comfortable, but the rest of the room is not. Remember that it is the thermostat that detects the temperature of the room, which it uses to keep the system running or stop it when it believes everything is comfortable.
Simply put, the thermostat only knows the temperature in the area where it is actually located. With a single thermostat, it's not uncommon for the main level of a home to be nice and warm in the middle of winter, but the upper level would be freezing cold.
Achieving ideal whole-home comfort with one thermostat is nearly impossible. But if you implement an HVAC zoning system for your home, every place in your home will be as comfortable as you want it to be.
What is an HVAC zoning system?
HVAC zoning is a control system that allows you to customize heating and cooling in specific areas of your home. The entire system revolves around the idea of creating distinct comfort zones within your home, with each zone having its own individual thermostat to control the temperature.
How does HVAC zoning work?
A zoning system requires thermostats, a control panel, and dampers to regulate airflow in your ducts. When a thermostat detects that your area will need heating or cooling, it will send a signal to the control panel, which in turn will alert the HVAC system and then open the dampers to direct airflow to the zone that needs heating. requested cooling. or heating.
Once the thermostat determines that your area has reached the desired temperature, it will alert the control panel to close the dampers. The process will then be repeated whenever any of the areas require heating or cooling.
The Benefits of an HVAC Zoning System
1. Comfort for everyone
In some homes, the thermostat can be the subject of a kind of tug of war. Some turn up the thermostat, especially those in areas of the house that don't interfere with heating or cooling. Those who spend a lot of their time near the main area of the house where the only thermostat is located, on the other hand, take matters into their own hands because their area would either be too hot or too cold.
With an HVAC zoning system, everyone can set the thermostat in their respective area to whatever temperature they desire. That means comfort for every member of the family all day, every day.
2. Lower energy bills
Dividing your home into zones doesn't just give you better temperature control in each area. It also allows you to avoid heating or cooling environments that are not in use. With a signal from the thermostat in a specific area, you can stop the airflow to that room and save on heating and cooling costs in the process.
3. Longer life for your HVAC system
The efficiency that HVAC zoning brings helps reduce wear and tear on your current HVAC system. As a result, the life of your HVAC system will be extended.
4. Cleaner indoor air
You might think that the air inside your home is cleaner than the air outside, but that's not always the case. Sure, the air outside your home may probably be polluted, but the air inside doesn't offer much quality either. The air inside your home is loaded with dust, pollen, dirt, mold, pet dander and other contaminants. And with the help of a standard HVAC system, spreading them around your home is even easier.
This wouldn't happen with an HVAC zoning system, as the separate nature of the zones prevents contaminants from easily moving through your home. By keeping their spread under control, an HVAC zoning system can actually help reduce the incidence of allergic reactions, eye irritation, rashes, asthma and other health problems related to air quality.
Try HVAC zoning and see for yourself all the good it can do for your home.
About the author
Rebecca Anderson is a content marketing strategist at FH Ar Condicionado, a heating and air conditioning repair and service company serving the Phoenix Valley since 1974. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and mountaineering with her family and friends.
