What is HVAC Zoning and Should I Zone?
It seems like every summer is always a little hotter than the one before. When it’s this scorching outside, it’s not always so easy to keep your home cool – let alone evenly cool. Before you know it, your bedroom upstairs is a sauna while the living room downstairs is comfortably cool and you’re never quite sure how to strike the right balance.
Do any of these other scenarios sound familiar?
- You’re struggling to keep the temperature consistent throughout your home.
- Certain rooms in your house are always too hot or too cold.
- You’re heating or cooling rooms unused rooms or storage areas in your home.
- Your family members have different temperature preferences.
Luckily, there’s something you can do to combat uneven temperatures in your home and create a more comfortable living environment for everyone. Enter HVAC zoning!
What is an HVAC Zoning System?
An HVAC zoning system uses dampers in your home’s ductwork to regulate and redirect airflow throughout your house. It’s possible to divide your system into as many as four different temperature-controlled zones (although one zone for upstairs and another for downstairs is most common). Customizing the zones in your home and only heating and cooling areas that need it can reduce your energy bills by up to 30%!
Should I Zone My HVAC?
Some uneven heating or cooling can be solved without zoning. This summer, you may have already changed the direction of your ceiling fan, supplemented your air conditioner with natural ventilation or fans, checked for air leaks, cleaned your filters, and kept up with regular maintenance. If you’ve done everything in our Uneven Cooling (And How to Even the Playing Field) post and you’re still not seeing results, it may be time to consider zoning your HVAC.
Zoning will result in greater overall comfort, increased efficiency, and allow your family members to enjoy the areas they spend the most time in. You could also save big on your energy bills! But be prepared to invest upfront. While zoning is also the most efficient and comfortable method of cooling, it’s generally the costliest. Zoning requires a zone control panel to be installed into your current system, a thermostat for each zone, and zone dampers – which are wired to a specific zone on the control panel and controlled by their respective thermostats.
Get your HVAC zoned by the professionals at Columbia Heating & Cooling
Take advantage of even cooling in your home now – at the peak of summer! The professionals at Columbia HVAC will set up your system for efficient, optimum cooling – customized to your needs.
Give us a call to start the conversation at (503) 624-2704. Our team is standing by and ready to help!