Breaking a building’s HVAC system into a series of zones is a strategy designed to maximize efficiency and comfort. The process works well in a variety of residential and commercial settings. If you’re considering setting up a zoned HVAC system, it is a good idea to understand the major goals, the basic mechanisms, and the potential benefits.
The biggest consideration is working with a true expert heating and air conditioning company. Zoned systems require extensive technical skill and precise calculations to set up properly, so a poorly-installed system won’t deliver all the benefits that should come with HVAC zoning.
Energy Efficiency
Like many HVAC improvements, zoning can significantly improve energy efficiency. Particularly, HVAC zones allow you to direct more conditioned air toward the spots where it’s most needed. For example, most buildings have one side that receives considerably more sunshine during the summer. Even using just two zones, you can target the sun-facing side as one zone and the away side as another. This ensures that you’re delivering maximum cooling in a way that doesn’t require coolness to diffuse from one part of a house to the other.
Zoning can also encourage energy efficiency by reducing output in low-use areas. Most houses have spaces like guest bedrooms or craft rooms that aren’t constantly in use. In a typical HVAC system, closing vents in unoccupied rooms is not recommended because it increases pressure in the ducts. So, why should you keep spending money to heat and cool these rooms at a comfortable level?
If your home has a smart HVAC system, you can quickly bring these rooms into a comfortable temperature whenever you need them, and you can let the zoning system reduce heating and cooling when the rooms are idle.
Variable-speed HVAC technologies can also help a zoned HVAC system do its job better. For example, variable-speed blower motors and fans can maintain different airflow levels in distinct zones. You might want your living room to be a bit warmer during the winter, for example. Likewise, you can use smart technologies to adjust when the variable-speed systems run at a higher speed. If you have a zone for the master bedroom, you could adjust it so that the room reaches your optimal temperature right before you go to bed. That way, you don’t waste money maintaining that temperature all day.
A well-configured zone system for an HVAC system may save between 20 and 40 percent on your utility bills in a residential setting. Efficiency improvements could be higher if your building has a specifically difficult zone, such as a corner bedroom upstairs that’s constantly experiencing drafts. Reduced operating stress will also likely extend your HVAC system’s lifespan by at least 15 percent.
Personalized Comfort
Some homes can experience differences in temperatures of five degrees or more between rooms. If your HVAC system operates as a single zone, this makes it very hard to get your preferred level of comfort in a target space. Even a simple zoning system that perhaps includes zones for the downstairs and upstairs can allow you to set cooler conditions where you sleep for better comfort.
HVAC zones tend to exhibit smaller in-zone temperature differences, usually about one to two degrees. This lets you target specific comfort levels much more narrowly. In some households, several zones are available so everyone can set the comfort level they desire for their bedroom and other living spaces.
Modern smart thermostats even have occupancy sensors that allow the HVAC system to adjust to changing demands quickly. If you have a lot of guests for a large dinner party, for example, the sensors can tell the system to increase the air conditioning. You might have a zone for the kitchen and dining room that makes keeping things comfortable easier, even when you’re doing lots of cooking.
Superior Indoor Air Quality
Maintaining steady airflow across a building makes a noticeable difference in indoor air quality. Zoning aids this process significantly, reducing airborne particles by about 15 percent. Likewise, it can encourage tighter humidity control, usually achieving variations as low as five percent between rooms in a single zone.
Zoning also allows you to target specific areas with better filtration. If someone in your household has respiratory issues, for example, you might configure a zone with a HEPA filter to help them breathe easier.
Stabilizing the air balance throughout a house also makes a difference. When air isn’t flowing back and forth between rooms due to air balance differences, less dust and humidity are circulating throughout the living spaces. This discourages mold and other irritants that can create a sick house.
Smart Integration
One of the best benefits of zoning is its potential interoperability with smart technologies. If you want to maximize the use of smart HVAC system, zoning is a great way to do it. Attaching motorized controls for fans, dampers, and blower motors within specific zones gives a smart thermostat much finer control over where air goes during heating and cooling cycles. Properly done, this configuration can keep temperature variations within your house down to just 0.5 degrees F.
Real-time sensor packages can make a smart HVAC system even better. Predictive controls and machine learning can detect common usage patterns, allowing smart technologies to supply heating and cooling to rooms when you’re most likely to use them. For example, the system can follow your schedule and ramp up the HVAC system so you have a comfortable kitchen to start your day.
Notably, smart technologies can monitor the performance of HVAC zones. If one zone becomes less efficient than it used to be, this could be a sign that there are some failing components. This allows you to get in front of potential problems with preventative maintenance.
Greater Longevity
The mixture of smart technologies, zones, and variable-speed systems can significantly reduce the wear and tear on your HVAC system. These kinds of systems tend to supply more consistent airflow to the zones. Rather than experiencing huge energy ramp-ups, a zoned HVAC system with smart technologies will run at a lower capacity for longer. This discourages the numerous stop-start cycles that adversely affect the performance of the HVAC components.
Return on Investment
By extending the system’s longevity and improving its efficiency, a zoned system can pay back your investment within three to seven years. This is particularly true when your HVAC uses variable-speed technologies alongside zones to minimize wear and tear. Keep in mind that the air purification benefits you receive with zoned systems may improve your health.
Climate Control is committed to working meticulously on every project. We are a locally owned and operated company, and we have been in business since 1989. We can quickly handle the installation, repair, and maintenance of all popular heating systems and AC types. From heat pumps to ductless ACs, our HVAC technicians’ work will impress you. Our technicians are fully licensed, bonded, and insured.
We employ NATE-certified technicians, and we are a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer and a regular winner of the manufacturer’s prestigious President’s Award. Customers can also sign up for a maintenance agreement, which allows them to receive priority service and discounted repair costs.
If you live in Portland, OR or the surrounding areas and you are interested in exploring the advantages of HVAC zoning, contact Climate Control today to schedule a professional evaluation for your home or business.
