Homes with zoned heating systems typically have lower heating bills and greater comfort. Zoning a heating system involves dividing your home into separate spaces that have similar thermal characteristics. Each zone will have its own thermostat that operates when needed. Without zoning, your furnace will heat your entire home at once, based on the temperature near your thermostat.
If your home has any of these characteristics, you might benefit from a zoning system:
- Multiple stories
- High ceilings in some, but not all, of the rooms
- Large windows facing south or west
- Areas that are infrequently used
- Family members who enjoy different temperature settings
Each thermostat in a zoned heating system connects to a central control panel. When that zone requires heat, it turns the furnace on, and the damper inside the ductwork opens. As a result, heated air reaches only that particular zone. Since your entire home isn’t being heated, your furnace uses less energy, which can reduce heating bills.
Rooms that face north and east are likely the coolest in your home during the winter, requiring more heat than rooms facing south or west. Furthermore, rooms on the second floor are usually warmer, since heat naturally rises. With zoned heating systems, you can turn the thermostat down for rooms upstairs without experiencing excessive cooling in the lower levels.
When paired with programmable thermostats, a zoned home can offer more convenience. You can set your thermostat based on occupancy factors, so it can automatically control that zone to your liking.
Zoning systems need to be installed by an HVAC contractor, and are made for both new HVAC installations and retrofits. Your contractor will help you decide how to group your rooms for zoning, where to place the dampers in your ducts, and how to complete the system’s wiring.
If you’d like to learn more about the suitability of zoned heating systems for your home, contact Overland Park Heating & Cooling, Inc. We’ve been providing exceptional HVAC services for Greater Kansas City homeowners since 1983.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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