You don’t adjust the lights in every room of your house with one switch, so why adjust the temperature in every room with one thermostat? Since it’s natural for different areas of the house to be at different temperatures — or for different occupants to have different comfort preferences — trying to get the whole house comfortable with a single thermostat is often a losing battle.

Zoning systems give you the ability to set different temperatures for different rooms, or “zones,” throughout the house. They send warm or cool air where it’s needed and close dampers on zones that don’t need an adjustment. By preventing you from using energy you don’t need, they save energy and money.

Some rooms in your building may accumulate more heat, while others can’t seem to hold onto it. For example, an upper-story, south-facing bedroom will probably be warmer than a north-facing room on the first floor. There are also architectural design elements that can make some places in the building hard to keep comfortable. Zoning systems can be especially helpful in:

• Homes with more than one level.
• Homes with one sprawling level.
• Recent additions.
• Open areas such as lofts, foyers or vaulted ceilings.
• Rooms with glass doors, walls or many windows.
• Rooms that are often empty, such as guest rooms.

With zoning systems, multiple thermostats or sensors are placed throughout the house. When an area needs an adjustment, the HVAC system kicks on, but the dampers only open to that area.

Different areas of your home can be grouped together in a single zone. For example, the bedrooms could represent one zone. You could program them to get warmer in the morning, then prevent unnecessary heating when the household is empty during the day. This can be a convenient way to keep children’s rooms comfortable without allowing them access to the controls. The kitchen, which is often warmer when you’re cooking, could represent another zone.

Some homeowners have reported savings of up to 30 percent with zoning systems. If you’d like to learn more, contact Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning. We’re proud to help San Antonio stay comfortable while saving energy!

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about zoning systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Jon Wayne Heating and Air Conditioning services  San Antonio and the surrounding communities of Seguin, New Braunfels, Bulverde, Boerne, and Comal County.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!