Design Comfort Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Zone Control Systems’

How Do Zone Control Systems Work?

Friday, January 10th, 2014

If you’ve ever wished you could shut off the air from parts of your house that you don’t use, or if different members of your household are always at odds about how hot or cold the house is, then you should consider having a zone control system installed. “System zoning” offers you a more precise control over how heating and cooling gets sent around your house. It allows for more even temperature distribution and individual fine-tuning for the needs of different people. And it can save you money on your energy bills.

Design Comfort can install a zone control system in your home. If you’re interested in superior heating services in Salt Lake City, UT, contact us today to talk over your options.

How zone control systems work

Zone control systems divide a home into separate zones, which are usually individual rooms, although areas that receive less use might be lumped into a single zone. The installers place dampers in the ductwork that can cut off the flow of conditioned air to particular zones, acting much like valves. These dampers are controlled electronically, and they are hooked up to thermostats. Most systems will have separate thermostats for each zone, but every unit is wired into a central control panel that can operate all of them.

Whenever a zone’s thermostat senses that its region has reached its target temperature, it closes off the damper that accesses the zone. Individuals in separate zones can also manipulate their region’s temperature using the local thermostat.

A simpler use of zone control that people can have installed to help create more even heating in two-story houses is to install one zone downstairs and one upstairs. As one zone reaches the target temperature, the damper closes and sends more air to the other zone, which creates a balance that won’t produce cold or hot spots.

On top of the improved temperature control, zone systems can also save money. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, having zone control installed can save homeowners up to 30% on monthly bills, whether heating or cooling. You no longer have to send conditioned air to guest rooms when they aren’t in use, or heat up a large dining rooms on days when no one eats there.

Call for installation today

After reading this, you will probably know if you have the kind of household that will benefit from zone control or not. For more information, contact Design Comfort. We will look into your home’s requirements for heating and cooling in Salt Lake City, UT and determine how best to set up a zone control system that will keep you and each member of your household happy.

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Air Conditioning: What is a Zone Control System?

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Homeowners throughout the Salt Lake City area are looking for ways to improve their air conditioning systems, especially during the spring. Now is a great time to call for routine maintenance, repairs, and upgrades. If you have a central air split system, the prospect of cooling your entire home, whether occupied or unoccupied, can be daunting. A single temperature throughout all of the rooms in the house may not be the most efficient use of your energy, and you may find that areas of your home are of different temperatures. If you’d like to remedy this situation, consider installing a zone control system. For comprehensive Salt Lake City air conditioning services, call Design Comfort today!

We’d like to explain a little about the zone control system so that you can stay informed about the various ways you can improve the efficiency and performance of your central air:

  • What is a zone control system? It is a way of dividing up your existing ductwork into zones that can be individually controlled. It is an aftermarket upgrade that is relatively straightforward to install by a professional AC technician. A set of electronically controlled dampers are installed within your ductwork. The manner in which these dampers divide your home is strictly up to you and your cooling needs.
  • How does it work? A thermostat in each of the zones communicates with the dampers and air handler, blocking or permitting airflow according to your specifications.
  • What are the benefits? A zone control system allows you unprecedented control over how your conditioned air is distributed throughout your home. If you’ve ever been frustrated by the thought of cooling your unoccupied kitchen downstairs in order to sleep soundly upstairs, then a zone control system is a great solution. By only cooling the areas you need to, and by adjusting the temperatures of other unoccupied zones accordingly, you can save substantial amounts of energy throughout the cooling season.

For more information about zone control systems, and to see if they’re right for your home, get in touch with your local professional. For comprehensive Salt Lake City air conditioning services, call Design Comfort today!

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Heating Tip: Getting the Most Out of Your Zone Control System

Monday, February 4th, 2013

Sometimes heating your home throughout the winter, especially during the harsh winters we have in Salt Lake City, and make a pretty big dent in your budget. At Design Comfort we want to do everything we can to ensure that no homeowner in the service area is dissuaded from heating their home the way the want to just because energy prices are so high. One way we can help you do this is by making the way in which you heat your home more efficient. A zone control system is a great way to do so.

Zone control systems give you more control than ever before about the way in which energy is used in your Salt Lake City home. The more control you have over your heating system, the more efficiently you can operate that system. In order to get the most out of your zone control system, though, you must understand how it works.

A zone control system allows you to break up your home into different heating zones. Each of these zones can then be heated independently of the others. This means that if you want to raise the heat downstairs in the dining room you are now able to do so without also raising the heat upstairs in unoccupied bedrooms. This helps reduce the amount of energy you use when heating your home.

As you have probably discovered, different people are comfortable at different temperatures. This can lead to arguments over what temperature the thermostat should be set to, especially when it comes time for bed. By heating individual bedrooms independently of one another you can keep everyone comfortable and happy. Enjoy the perfect temperature in each separate heating zone of your home.

If a zone control system sounds like a heating upgrade that you are interested in, call the Salt Lake City heating professionals at Design Comfort. Your comfort is our business, and we take pride in the job that we do to make your Salt Lake City home more comfortable. Contact Design Comfort today to schedule a zone control system installation or service.

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