We're Glad You Asked!
WHY SHOULD I ZONE MY HOUSE?
Q: Why should I zone my house?
A: To keep all areas of your home comfortable, no matter what the
weather! No longer must you have hot or cold rooms, or pay to heat
or cool areas of your home that you rarely use. Zoning has come
a long way in recent years, and it is now efficient, easy to install
and flexible enough for any home.
What is zoning?
Zoning divides your home into separate comfort areas and makes
your comfort equipment cool or heat only areas that need conditioning.
For example, a living room with large windows may stay too hot in
the summer and too cold in the winter. A zoning system will send
more conditioned air to the living room, to make up for the heat
gained or lost through the windows.
Why zone?
Today's families have different lifestyles and comfort needs. Maybe
you have a home office that needs extra conditioning during the
day, and none at night. Or you only use the upstairs bedrooms when
guests visit. Whatever your needs, zoning can keep each area of
your house at the perfect temperature for you and each family member.
When to install zoning.
If you are replacing your air conditioner, furnace or heat pump,
it is an excellent time to install a zoning system. When your new
comfort equipment is matched with a zoning system, you will have
precise control in each zone. Houses that had been nearly impossible
to keep comfortable are a thing of the past.
Zoning is also excellent for new homes, since it is installed during
construction. If you are buying a new home, check with a your builder
about a zoning system. It could make the difference between enjoying
your new house and being truly comfortable in it!
Zoning alternatives.
Installing more than one comfort system can work to keep temperatures
comfortable, but multiple systems are expensive. Typically, in a
two-story home, one comfort system is installed for the downstairs,
and one for the upstairs. This way, when hot air rises, the upstairs
unit can keep it cool upstairs, even in the summer. And in the winter,
the downstairs unit can keep that area warm.
Zoning uses only one comfort system to control the temperature
for each zone. Installing a comfort system with a zoning system
costs quite a bit less than installing two systems, and the yearly
maintenance is also less expensive.
How does zoning work?
In almost all zoning systems, zoning is controlled by thermostats
in each zone. For instance, if you have four zones in your house,
you will have four thermostats. Depending on your zoning system,
you may have a choice of thermostats. With separate thermostats,
each zone signals the heating or cooling unit independently. This
lets the system deliver cooling or heating only where it is needed.
You will never have to cool or heat the whole house just to make
one room comfortable.
Zoning saves you money!
Zoning can drastically lower your cooling and heating bills. Zoning
systems can use setback thermostats in each zone to make the most
of energy savings. However, in zones rarely used, electromechanical
thermostats make sense because you can set them at energy-saving
temperatures and forget about those areas of your home. No more
closing registers or shutting doors with each seasonal change.
A good example of this is a guest room on the north side of the
house. You do not want to condition it like the rest of the house,
but in the winter, it needs to be kept from freezing. With zoning,
you can set the thermostat back, and know you are not wasting money.
And you have peace of mind, knowing the bedroom will not get cold
enough to freeze pipes.
Another way zoning can save money is when you are not at home.
When you leave for work or vacation, you can set the whole house
at an energy-saving temperature to avoid conditioning an empty house.
And if you have setback thermostats, you can program them to have
your living areas comfortable when you arrive home.
As you begin using your home more and in varying ways, as a home
office, for example, zoning will become more important. Also, the
energy savings can really mean a lot with a zoning system. Ask your
Goodman dealer how you can make your home more comfortable than ever!
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