AC Zoning and Your Home
AC Zoning refers to the creation of customized temperature control in one or more areas of your home. It allows the different rooms or zones in your home to have various temperatures. This enables you to heat or cool the areas of your choice, including not using conditioned air in unused rooms or areas. By heating and cooling only in the rooms you occupy it is extremely energy-efficient. Zoning has gained new attention with ductless AC.
AC Zoning can also eliminate hot or cold spots, evening out the temperature in your home. A good example is a two story home when the upstairs is overly warm in the summertime, or too cold downstairs. Zoning will even out the temperature for your maximum comfort.
When your home has a room featuring large beautiful windows with a view, temperature control may be a problem. Unfortunately large windows can cause a hot room in the summer, and excessive cold in the winter. Zoning can eliminate this problem and enable you to fully appreciate your beautiful view.
AC Zoning in Detail
Large homes are often zoned by upstairs and downstairs with a thermostat for each floor. It isn’t unusual for large homes to have two or more HVAC systems for different areas of the home. These are also considered zoning.
Zoning is also a single HVAC unit supplying multiple rooms or zones. This type of zoning system has become increasingly popular with homeowners. Other popular uses for zoning include the following:
- Basements
- Attics with living space
- High ceilings
- Above garage rooms or apartments
- Sun rooms
- Small apartments
- Additions
- Guest houses
- Workshops and garages
- Any space where ducts are not feasible
Ductless Mini-Splits
Ductless mini-splits provide you with the option to customize individual rooms or zones. Traditionally, they were used for a single room, such as an addition or using an attic or basement for additional living space. Their popularity is growing in large part due to their high energy-efficiency. The ductless AC and mini-split heat pump are increasingly being installed in newly built homes and in existing homes. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates zoning can save up to 30 percent on the average heating and cooling bill. That is a significant amount that can be even higher with a ductless mini-split system. Leaky ducts can lose as much as 30% of conditioned air, and a ductless system completely eliminates that loss.
As with other thermostatically controlled zoning systems, they allow you the ability to heat or cool the rooms of your choice. While ignoring others. Not only are the units highly efficient, you save energy by diverting conditioned air away from rooms that aren’t in use. Dampers close off unused rooms without causing the problems that affect typical central units when vents are closed. When you’re expecting guests for a weekend, the dampers can be opened by activating the thermostat in the areas needed in the home.
AC Zoning Customization
With a typical HVAC system, the average home is heated or cooled to one temperature. In a zoned system, you can customize the temperature at each indoor air handler, providing significant energy savings.
Today’s homeowners are choosing the advantages of a mini-split in garages and basements converted into gyms. Since there are so many now working from a home office, a single mini-split ductless AC offers a cooler work environment. Multiple office equipment can heat your home office up. Additionally, a mini-split provides a comfortable work environment. This saves on your electric bill by avoiding cooling the whole home down. Mini-splits are heat pumps, so you receive both air conditioning and heating in one energy efficient system.
Other Advantages
If cleaner air is important for your family, the mini-split offers a solution. Each indoor air handler contains its own high quality filtration for cleaner air. Additionally, this is beneficial for those with allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions. Finally, humidity control is also improved, as each air handler removes humidity from the room or area it’s located in when in AC mode.
The Installation
Mini-split systems contain two main components, the outdoor condenser and the indoor air handler. Through a small 3 inch hole, these two components are connected. Through this conduit, the power cable, refrigerant tubing, suction tubing, and condensate drain links the indoor and outdoor units. Additionally, air handlers are placed in each room or zone with its own dedicated remote control. They offer versatility as the air handler can be located on a wall, floor or in a ceiling. They can even be located out of sight behind a grill in the ceiling.
As the mini-split is a ductless AC and heating system, the potential energy losses of leaky ducts is eliminated.
If you have questions contact us today. We will be glad to assist you in the selection of the ductless AC system you would like, or other HVAC systems. Our knowledgeable professionals will answer your question and provide the reliable installation you require. Metro Express Service is a member of the BBB.
