How HVAC Zone Systems Work and the Benefits They Offer
Posted on: 11 June 2015
One of the hardest parts of heating and cooling a house is achieving a comfortable temperature in every room of your house. This can be hard with single-story homes, but it is even harder with two-story homes, unless you have a zoned HVAC system. A zoned system has multiple thermostats, which allows you to have more control over the temperature in your entire home.
How Do Zones Work?
When a zoned HVAC system is set up in a new home, the contractor will install dampers inside the ducts used to supply the cooled or heated air to the rooms. Without these dampers, a zone system will not work. The dampers open and close, allowing or stopping air from passing through.
With dampers installed, you can turn the heat or AC on in certain parts of your house and not in others. For example, if you have a two-story house you could set up two zones. One zone would control the upstairs and the other would control the main floor. This would give you more control over the temperatures in both areas, but it would help you save money.
You can save money because of the way heat works. Heat naturally rises, which means the upstairs in a home is naturally hotter than the downstairs. During the summer, this means that you may have to run your AC more often to get the upstairs cool enough, and doing this would make your main floor too cold. This is a waste of energy, but it can be prevented with a zone system.
Can Zones Be Added to Homes?
While it is easier to install a zone system during the construction of a house, adding zones to an existing home can be completed. During this process, an HVAC contractor will have to complete several different steps, which include the following:
- Installing dampers in the ducts
- Wiring in the dampers
- Adding additional thermostats
If you're interested in doing this, you will probably want to know how much it costs. The costs to add zones to your home will depend on the size of your home and the number of zones you need. The exact cost will be determined by the number of dampers needed, the amount of wire, and the number of hours it takes to complete the job. Keep in mind that by doing this, you will be able to save money on your energy costs, and you will also have a house that is more comfortable to live in.
To learn more about how a zone system could benefit your home, contact a company that offers heating and air conditioning repair, such as Winters Heating Cooling & Indoor Air Quality.
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