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If you’re in the market for a new cooling system, there are a lot of different options out there. One that you may have come across is zoned central air conditioning systems. We will dive into these systems and whether they’re an ideal option for your California home below.
What Is HVAC Zoning?
This type of zoned HVAC system works to divide your house into different zones. Each zone will have its own thermostat to control the temperature independently from every other zone. This means that you could set the temperature in your bedroom zone to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature in your living room-kitchen zone to 72 degrees. This type of zone cooling system is ideal for increasing your comfort, optimizing your cooling system’s efficiency, and eliminating hot spots throughout your home.
How Does a Zoned System Work?
It’s fairly easy to understand how zone cooling works with a ductless mini-split because each room has its own independent unit that can turn on and off. However, when it comes to a central AC unit, it can be a little bit more complex than that. The key to how this system works is dampers.
As with any central air conditioning system, you’ll have ductwork that runs to the different areas of your home. With a zoned system, dampers are installed in your ducting at the entrance to each particular zone. These dampers are electronically controlled so that they can open when you need to cool the zone down and close whenever that zone reaches the right temperature.
Each zone will have its own thermostat that is linked to one central control panel for your entire central air conditioning system. Anytime one of your thermostats determines that the ambient temperature is too hot for what you have set, it will signal your cooling system to turn on.
Let’s say that the thermostat in zone one has signaled to your air conditioning system that it needs to turn on. However, the temperatures in zones two and three match your desired thermostat temperature in those areas. To prevent your air conditioning system from delivering cold air via your ducting to those zones, your system’s central control panel will automatically close the dampers for zones two and three.
However, it will leave the dampers open for zone one so that the cold air from your air conditioning system can adequately cool that zone down to your desired temperature. The central control panel actively monitors all the thermostats throughout your home. Altering the dampers accordingly is the key to getting optimal comfort in every room of your home.
How Many Zones Does Your Home Need?
It’s important to start out by stating that each room of your home that has ducting going to it can be its own zone if you so choose. You would just need to have a plethora of electronic dampers and thermostats installed. Typically, this isn’t very cost-effective or necessary.
Most homes may only need to have two different zones. For example, you may find that the second story of your home tends to be much hotter during the summer than your first floor. By separating each floor into its own zone, you can take care of the temperature difference. It doesn’t really make sense to zone off each room as you’re only experiencing one main temperature difference between each floor level.
It’s important to monitor the temperatures throughout your home to get a feel for where you’re experiencing the most differences. With the help of an experienced HVAC technician, you can figure out how many zones are the perfect amount to meet your individual needs in a cost-effective manner.
When Is Central AC Zoning Most Effective?
While the ability to independently control the temperature in every area of your home can be exciting, it doesn’t always make sense to do so. The labor and parts associated with adding in extra thermostats, electronic dampers, and a central control panel can be quite costly. However, there are a few different scenarios where investing in a zoned system is going to be most effective for both your home and your family’s comfort.
You Have Large Glass Windows
If you’ve ever sat in front of the window on a sunny day, then you know the sun’s rays can be hot. If any rooms throughout your home have large windows that receive direct sunlight, they can heat up significantly. By putting those rooms in their own zones, you can help combat the rise in temperatures in those rooms without affecting the temperature in all the rest of your rooms. This can make a big difference in the overall efficiency of your energy usage. As a result, your cooling system only has to worry about cooling down one zone instead of all of them.
Multi-Level Home
One of the most obvious scenarios for where a zoned central air conditioning system is the most effective is with a multi-level home. Typically, the higher levels of your home are going to feel much hotter than the lower levels just due to the natural rising of heat. Instead of trying to keep your upstairs comfortable while experiencing temperatures that may be too cold in your lower levels, it makes sense to install a zone for each level. This way, your family can be comfortable no matter what level they’re on in your home.
Hot Spots
Another indicator that a zoned central air conditioning system may be ideal for your home is if you’re dealing with one or more hotspots. There are a plethora of reasons that one room in your home may be significantly hotter than the rest. Instead of constantly running your cooling system to help combat that heat, you can install a zoned system to increase your comfort and better optimize your energy usage.
The Many Benefits of Zoned Central AC
By far, one of the biggest benefits of investing in a zone central AC system for your home is enhanced comfort. Instead of constantly playing with your thermostat to stay comfortable when you go to different rooms, you can enjoy setting a comfortable temperature in each zone. The best part is that you’ll find yourself arguing less with the other family members about temperature settings.
Another advantage of this type of system that we simply can’t overlook is the energy savings it can provide you with. Instead of your cooling system having to run to cool down all the rooms of your home, it can run less to just cool down the areas where it’s actually necessary. Furthermore, you can even enjoy turning off thermostats in areas that don’t get used that often to save money.
Trustworthy AC Service
Avis Home Solutions provides trustworthy air conditioning services for Anaheim, CA and the surrounding communities. Our technicians can also help with all your heating, heat pump, indoor air quality, plumbing, drain, sewer, water heater, and water treatment needs. Call our office today and schedule an appointment with our friendly staff.
