Wednesday, August 1, 2018

The Case For Transforming Your HVAC Setup Into A Zoned System

By Debra Reynolds


It's hard to say how much the average household spends on indoor climate control annually, but it's quite a tidy amount. In most cases, this means paying to heat or cool every room within at the same time. If that sounds familiar, chances are that you've wondered if there's a less-wasteful way to go about this. As it turns out, there's a perfect answer for you in the form of HVAC Cape Coral zoning.

How zoning works is that it subdivides a home into segments that can be heated and cooled independently from each other. This usually involves the installation of dampers inside ductwork to direct airflow, plus a programmable thermostat for each zone. The whole mechanism is then connected to a control panel to allow for easy oversight and management.

The fact that zoning involves the addition of components means it further complicates what's already an intricate mechanism. But why would you opt for this when upsizing offers a much simpler solution? Just like you wouldn't want all your lights to be controlled from one switch, there's no sense in having one thermostat for the entire house. If you're not convinced, just take a look at other benefits to be had from a zoned system:

Save Energy: Being able to direct cool/warm air to the area(s) where it's needed most will significantly decrease the load exerted on your equipment. This will be accompanied by a reduction in the amount of energy it consumes, which could shrink your cost by at least 30%. Needless to say, your home's carbon footprint will shrink considerably.

Convenience: A setup that allows you to manage temperature on a room-by-room basis is much more convenient than what you currently have. What's more, you will never have to go out of your way to do it. This is because zoned systems can be integrated with remote controls and, in some cases, smartphone apps.

Improved Consistency and Quality: With a zoned system, you'll be able to eliminate the temperature fluctuations associated with traditional heating and AC equipment. More crucially, it won't let as much air travel around the space as is the case with the latter. This translates to a lower likelihood of contaminants spreading through the house.

While there's no universal formula for zoning a heating and AC system, it's worth stressing that this is a process that involves many variables. The benefits are contingent upon proper configuration, installation and testing of all the components. The first is particularly crucial -- this ensures that the design matches the size and layout of the space. Also keep in mind that failure to achieve the desired performance is rarely an equipment issue. Rather, it's typically related to a lack of design and installation expertise.

Truth be told, zoning a heating and cooling setup is quite the hefty investment. This is however balanced by its effectiveness in practice -- no alternative offers a similar improvement in performance without compromising comfort. So don't think too much about its cost, but rather the savings you stand to reap in the long term. That aside, involving a professional in the planning process will be a smart move on your part.




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