When it comes to the comfort of your family, you depend on your heating system air conditioner to provide the relief you need, but you want to do so efficiently while maximizing comfort. One heating and cooling option growing in popularity is temperature zoning. Have you ever been too hot in one room, then freezing in another? Do some rooms in your home receive more sunlight than others? Are there rooms you don’t use very often? All of these great questions can be answered with HVAC zoning.

Zoning temperature controls allows you to customize the temperatures in your whole home, room by room. Do you like to stay cool while your child prefers a warmer temperature? Creating two completely different temperature settings is possible with a zoned HVAC system! While just having one of these systems can be very beneficial, you must use it effectively to get the most out of your unit while saving the most money as possible. While one of the greatest benefits of these systems is customizable temperature settings, a benefit is likely to show in your energy bills. In this post, we’ll dive into the top strategies for using home temperature zoning effectively.

Closing Vents is Not A Proper Zoning Method

If you’re trying to save energy and want to cut off the airflow to a certain room, you might think that simply closing those vents will do the trick. While it might sound like a reasonable and logical method, it is not recommended. The reason that this is not advised is because your heating or cooling system is specifically designed to utilize those rooms and vents. When these vents are closed, it can throw the whole system out of whack. When our AC unit or furnace kicks on, it’s goal is to achieve a certain temperature with the whole house in mind.

Closing vents can mean a poor use of your system and might lead to major problems with your unit. When airflow is pushed through a duct and isn’t able to exit, that air will back up into the duct system. This will increase the air pressure in your ducts, which might force the air through small leaks in your ductwork. While it might cause a minor leak, it can grow bigger and bigger over time, causing costly damage to the ductwork in your home. Furthermore, when conditioned air is trapped in your ducts, it can cause a heating system to overheat or an AC unit to freeze. While closing your vents might seem like an effective option, it can cause a large number of problems for your system and whole-home comfort.

Utilize A Zoned HVAC System

While there are a few ways to try and achieve home temperature zoning, the most effective and recommended way is to utilize a zoned HVAC system. These technologically-advanced systems use multiple thermostats that are connected to multiple zones throughout the home. With the help of your thermostat, you can customize the temperatures in these rooms to please everyone in the family. But beyond the obvious customized temperatures throughout the home, these zoning systems are also focused on saving you money on your energy bills. If one room is no longer receiving a great deal of airflow on any given day, you’ll certainly see energy savings. However, there are certain things you can do to ensure you’re getting the most out of your HVAC zoning system. These include:

Make sure your home is well-insulated
Utilize high-performance windows
Make sure to seal leaks in ductwork
Use on-peak/off-peak hours effectively
Utilize space heaters and fans as needed
Make sure to adjust the temperature for when no one is home
Concentrate optimal comfort in heavily-used rooms
The larger the area, the more potential energy savings from zoning
Stay on top of the programmed thermostat schedule to reduce wasted energy
Ensure systems are maintained annually by a professional contractor
Make sure to fully understand how your zoning system works

East Coast Mechanical Can Help!

If you’re looking for more information about zoning systems or if you would like to have one installed for your home, give East Coast Mechanical a call today! We serve Boynton Beach, Florida and the surrounding area. While owning a zoned air conditioning system is the first step to a more comfortable and energy-efficient home, it’s vital that you understand how to use it, including the best strategies to get the most out of your sophisticated unit. For more information about these zoning systems, get in touch with us a call today!