For as long as people have been living in modern homes there is one issue that has bothered most homeowners: inconsistent heating and cooling throughout the entire house. Every home seems to have the problem of one room that always gets way too hot and another that is always way too cold.
What makes matters worse is the personal preferences of each individual family member stacked on top. Johnny likes his room a little cooler, Suzy wants hers a little warmer, meanwhile mom and dad have their own preferences that result in a constant tug of war with the thermostat, resulting in wildly unpredictable energy bills each month.
Wrestling with heating and cooling inconsistencies in your home can be a headache, and a costly one at that. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way.
An HVAC zoning system is a hi-tech home heating and cooling system that provides families the perfect solution for customized home comfort control! Using an HVAC zoning system you can customize the temperature in each and every room to make sure you and your family are exactly as comfortable as they want no matter where they are.
Here is a little bit about how HVAC zoning systems work and the hidden benefits they can offer!
How HVAC Zoning Systems Work
A traditional HVAC system distributes the warm and cool air throughout your home from the central unit through your home’s ductwork. The temperature of the air distributed is determined by the temperature set at your thermostat.
HVAC zoning systems introduce separate dampeners and thermostats for each “zone” in your home. These dampeners and separate thermostats give you the ability to condition the air passing into these zones separately so that each room’s temperature can be customized without disrupting the temperature in others.
This heating and cooling arrangement is perfect for homes with divisive temperature preferences or rooms that give you problems when it comes to maintaining a consistent temperature like a living room with large windows or a new expansion with poor insulation.
Bryant zoning systems are compatible with most traditional HVAC systems, which helps make them a super appealing option for most homes since it doesn’t require extensive installation of an entirely new heating and cooling system.
How HVAC Zoning Systems Save You Money
Zoning systems don’t just give you the luxury to help make everyone in your home happy through better temperature control. It also creates a real opportunity for you to find some significant savings on your monthly heating and cooling bills.
Using a zoning system, you can limit the amount of energy spent heating or cooling underused rooms of your house. For example, if you have a guest bedroom that isn’t in use for 90% of the year, you don’t have to constantly heat or cool it at the same level as you do the rest of your home. Take advantage of the climate control to heat and cool them only when you need to.
Not having to heat and cool empty or underused rooms throughout the year lets you control energy use more efficiently and will ultimately pay off with savings on energy bills each month. In fact, the U.S Department of Energy estimates savings as much as 20-30% (page 132).
Zoning Systems vs Ductless Mini-Splits
HVAC zoning systems are often compared to ductless mini-splits, another heating and cooling method you may have heard about, because both provide customizable room-to-room temperature control. So, what is the difference between the two?
Well, the answer is really just right there in the name. Whereas zoning systems use your existing duct system to control the flow and temperature of air, dauntless mini-splits don’t require the use of ducts at all. Each “split” has its own compact indoor/outdoor air handler and compressor that produces and conditions the air.
Now the other important question is, is one better than the other? While each system has their pros and cons, the use of one over the other is actually dependent on many different factors that make picking one as the “best” option impossible.
For example, if you are working on an expansion to your home, there is currently no existing ductwork in the zone, and installing ducts would be impossible or way too expensive, a single mini-split is an ideal solution. However, if you have full ductwork already and your central unit is in great condition, there really isn’t a need to add more equipment the mini-splits will require instead of simply opting for a zoning system.
If you are considering heating and cooling alternatives and not sure which one would be best for your situation, consult your local, trusted Indianapolis heating and cooling experts at Hoosier Indoor Air for advice.
We can evaluate your situation and help you make the best decision for your home and budget with our selection of hi-tech heating and cooling comfort systems. Call (317) 466-7437 to schedule an appointment today.
