When it comes to heating and cooling your home or business, many people have experienced situations where one part of the building is cold while another one is hot.
This familiar situation brings to mind Goldilocks sampling bowls of porridge left on the table at the three bears' house in the classic children's fairy tale: One is too hot, one is too cold, and one is just right. How do homeowners and business owners get the building to reach just the temperature they want?
Indeed, it can be difficult to achieve optimal temperatures in each room when you rely on a single thermostat. For example, you might have the thermostat located near the front door, and when people continually open and close the door to enter and exit the building, they let in cold or hot air. This affects the thermostat, making it seem like the whole house is too hot or too cold.
One bedroom in your home may be shaded by an enormous tree in the backyard, keeping it nice and cool during the summer, while the living room has large windows through which the sun pours, keeping that room unusually hot. It would be wasteful to cool the whole house down to make the living room comfortable while turning the shaded bedroom into a near-Arctic environment.
Likewise, what is the point of overheating a guest room all winter when no one is staying there?
Some people resort to walking around the building, closing the outlets in each unused room. This is problematic because it takes a lot of time and you have to keep track of which outlets are closed and which ones are open. What's more, closing too many vents tends to damage your HVAC equipment because of the reduction in airflow.
One method that many people prefer to use with their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment is to employ a zoning system.
An HVAC zoning system relies on multiple thermostats that you install in each room or zone in your home or business.
Setup by a Licensed Technician
It's prudent to go with an HVAC firm whose employees are properly trained and licensed and have plenty of experience in setting up zoning systems, such as the experts at David Gray Heating & Air.
The technician will thoroughly inspect the building and determine how to divide it into zones or by rooms. Then the technician installs thermostats for each room or zone, along with motorized dampers that will close and open according to how the thermostats are programmed.
Control the Temperature Intelligently
You can decide what temperatures to set for each zone. For example, adults might want to keep things cooler in the living room, while kids want warmer rooms upstairs. Simply set the temperature limits for each thermostat, and then let the equipment kick in to adjust the amount of hot air or cold air that gets pumped into each zone.
So, when your large room with vaulted ceilings remains drafty and cold during the winter, the thermostat for that zone will prompt additional heating and open the damper, while the warmer entertainment room's thermostat will tell the HVAC systemto send less hot air into that room and close the damper until it's needed again.
Save Money and Increase Comfort
Although you have to pay for a technician to install the additional thermostats and dampers, you should expect to eventually save money as your heating and cooling costs diminish with the smart zoning system.
For many, saving money is not the primary concern when compared to keeping everyone as comfortable as possible in every part of the home or office.
The professionals at David Gray Heating & Air have the experience and knowledge to help you set up a zoning system, which will make you feel more comfortable as well as save you money on your utility bills.
For more information about zoning systems or to set up an appointment to have one of our expert technicians come out and consult with you on establishing multiple thermostats, please feel free to contact us today.