Zoning your home’s interior is a popular option for homeowners looking to boost their indoor efficiency and comfort levels, but what is a zoned system? Just as each room in your home features an individual light switch to operate the lighting, zoning provides individual comfort control within preplanned areas throughout the home, so adjusting temperature levels in individual rooms in your Dallas-area home is as easy as flipping a switch.

Simply put, a zoned system consists of multiple thermostats throughout the home that are wired to a single control panel. That control panel operates the forced-air system’s dampers, which either block airflow or fill the duct with air. You can have as few as two zones (such as the upstairs and downstairs) or multiple zones that allow for complete temperature control in multiple rooms. A zoned system is especially beneficial in homes that have inconsistent temperatures in various rooms, but many homeowners choose to install one in every bedroom to give each family member the option of controlling the temperature based on personal preference.

If you’re thinking about adding a zoned heating and cooling system to better control your HVAC, consider the following benefits:

Zoning Adapts to Changing Conditions

Without affecting other areas, a zoned heating and cooling system adapts as needed. If more cooling is required in certain rooms, such as the upstairs bedrooms, which tend to get hotter in the summertime as heat rises, a zoned system allows you to do this without affecting the temperature downstairs. You never have to worry about temperature variations throughout each room or floor because zoned systems eliminate these variations. What’s more, a zoned system can also respond to changes throughout the day, providing consistent temperatures regardless of any outdoor weather conditions.

Zoning is More Efficient and Cost-Effective

Non-zoned systems may be standard, but a zoned system can be up to 30-percent more efficient. That’s extra money in your pocket no matter the season. Since your zoned system doesn’t have to supply heat or air to the whole house on a constant basis, you never have to worry about wasted energy. Zoned systems also generally require equipment that’s much smaller in capacity than traditional heating or cooling systems, which reduces your energy consumption overall.

A Zoned System Boosts Individual Comfort

Since you decide when and where to heat or cool individual rooms in your home, your entire family can enjoy their own preferred levels of comfort. When children go off to college and only require their rooms on occasion, you can specify how these unoccupied rooms will be heated or cooled. If one child likes his room cooler than another, a zoned system accommodates these preferences, making everyone happy. This type of system is also great when family members fall ill or deal with chronic conditions like asthma or allergies, since bedroom temperatures can be set at optimal comfort levels for the individual.

Zoning Increases the Life of Your HVAC

Since a zoned system doesn’t require your HVAC to move air throughout your entire home 24/7, the HVAC doesn’t have to operate at full capacity all of the time. As long as you continue to have regular HVAC maintenace, this puts less strain on the system and results in fewer repair costs in the long run. That also means your HVAC can enjoy a much longer lifespan. Adding a zoned system to your home is certainly an investment up front, but it’s nice to know that the money you put into improving your indoor air quality and overall comfort levels is a savvy move.

All of this may sound like common sense, and that’s because it is. Adding a zoned system to your home not only increases comfort for every member of the family, it also reduces your monthly utility bills and expands the life of your HVAC system. You simply can’t beat the convenience.

Call Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating today at 888-414-4655 to learn more about the benefits of zoned systems in your Dallas-area home. Our technicians will be happy to discuss the best HVAC options for your home, helping you enjoy increased comfort levels in no time.