What are the Advantages of Zone Heating over Central Heating?

Heating your entire house everyday may not be the best economic choice for your utility bills, particularly with the rooms that are used only during a certain part of the day, like bedrooms. Keeping them warm the whole day and using the room only at night is like literally throwing money into your furnace and burning it up.

Zone heating has a lot of advantages over Central heating systems simply because it saves homeowners an average of 20 to 30 percent on energy costs. This is because Central heating systems are designed to heat the entire house with the same temperature while a zone system heats only specific areas and saves on the rest. You can heat rooms that are used more during the day like your living room, kitchen and dining rooms and prevent usage of energy in bedrooms.

Every family has different comfort and lifestyle needs. You may have a home office that needs to be cooled or heated only during the day. Or, you may use the upstairs bedrooms only when you have guests over. This is when zoning will keep specific areas in your house at the perfect temperature so that everyone feels comfortable at all times. You can restrict airflow with dampers in unneeded areas indoors and save huge amounts of energy in return. This theory is simple to switching on and switching off a light bulb. You can use them when you need to and turn them off once you leave the room.

Also known as automatic balancing systems, zoning systems are the ultimate solution for comfort problems with lower energy costs. The system is designed to eliminate uncomfortable and annoying cold and hot spots in the house through the use of duct dampers and multiple thermostats serving a central HVAC unit. If you are planning to install a new HVAC unit in your home or office, consider adding the zone system to reduce utility costs and improve comfort levels.

Even for new homes, the zone system can be installed during construction. It offers the homeowner control over their heating and cooling any time of day or night. So the more zones, the more control you have over your heating and cooling. In today’s world with depleting fossil fuels and rising energy prices, it is very important that you are aware of how you heat and cool your home.  You can practice heating and cooling rooms that are used the most rather than trying to heat the whole house with the same temperature. An efficient way to do this would be to supplement your central heating system with multiple thermostats for every room indoors. This ensures a reduction in energy consumption. The zoning system segments each area of your house to be individually controlled by a multi-zone heating/cooling controller.

The advantaged of zoning systems over central heating are:

• Efficiency – Save hundreds of dollars every year in heating and cooling costs with a well designed zoning system.
• Control – Adjust comfort levels indoors with a zone system. It can divide the house into different areas to heat and cool at specific temperatures with a programmable thermostat.
• Comfort – Without affecting other indoor area, the zone system can meet the specific temperature and airflow requirements of one room.
• Quiet Performance – Operating at lower speeds and less noise, the zone system can deliver optimum levels of working efficiency coupled with peak performance.

Looking at its advantages, the zone system saves a significant amount of energy. Occupied areas indoors will have the perfect temperature setting while unused areas will save on energy. There is no problem of under usage or over usage of energy when there is a zone system in your home or office. It also possesses the added advantage of stretching the capacity of your HVAC unit. The zone system has proved time and again that it is a powerful energy and air management tool that can provide for increased comfort and energy savings.

Can Zoning Systems be Retrofitted?

According to a study, around 75% of homeowners are dissatisfied with their comfort levels at home. Those same people also happen to have zone control systems only 30% of the time. Installing the zoning system in a fresh home is one thing, but probably the largest market in the heating/cooling industry is retrofitting zoning systems to make them better. America has close 130 million existing homes and contractors will grab this opportunity to increase their business.  Homeowners are always looking for ways to stay comfortable indoors as they spend more time at home. They are also looking for solutions to decrease energy bills and optimize heating and cooling with the right equipment.

You, as a homeowner, may have noticed that there are a lot of times that certain rooms in the house are colder or warmer than they are. This is because heat rises during summer and the rooms on the first or second floors are very hot. In direct contrast, the basement is very cold as warm air does not find its way down to heat that area of your house properly in winter. Rooms that have direct access to sunlight are very difficult to cool down and those with vaulted ceilings don’t retain heat very well. There is only one surefire way to even out the temperature in your room regardless of the weather outdoors. That is system zoning.

Why Switch to System Zoning?

The whole operation process of system zoning is quite simple. There are multiple thermostats wired to a central control panel, which in turn operates dampers within the ductwork of the heating/cooling unit. For each specific zoning area, the thermostat read the temperature constantly and according to its settings, it opens or closes the dampers within the ductwork. System zoning is really helpful for homes with improper and inconsistent heating and cooling temperatures. It is also good for heating and cooling individual rooms based on the programmed temperature setting.

If used properly, system zoning can save you a lot of money on electricity bills which approximately adds up to around 30% every year. According to the Department of Energy in the United States, 40% of a home’s utility costs accounts for heating and cooling alone. System zoning helps you save energy by running temperature controlled air for only specific rooms in the house.

Is Cost of Switching a Problem?

There are many homeowners who are unwilling or hesitant to make the transition from traditional heating/cooling methods to system zoning and programmable thermostats simply because of the cost. This definitely may not be a do-it-yourself project but the Department of Energy has funded the development of a damper system that can be retrofitted into an existing zoning system. Existing ductwork does not need to be supported or altered as there are no heavy motors involved.

The flex dampers work with most brands of zone-control systems and come with air control inserts with an air pumping system and an electronic controller. Designed in square duct or circular models, the dampers fill the air to block or constrict the airflow within the duct.  They are resistant to aging, moisture, heat, ozone and airborne chemicals. Even if they are punctured, which is highly unlikely, the punctured holes will not affect the performance of the system.

The dampers can be installed in flexible or steel ducts and also serviced easily by gaining access through a register.

To install a retrofitted zone-control system, here are some of the items needed in your shopping list:-

·         Flex dampers

·         Thermostats for each room/zone

·         Zone control panel

·         Transformer

·         Solenoid pump and panel

·         Plenum tubing

·         Control limit switch

You will also need to determine the number of zones your home needs, since this will affect the way you set up your zoning system that for retrofitting. While retrofitting the zoning system is more challenging than installing it the first time, you’ll find that doing so would be a lot more worth it than looking at your energy bills summing up because of the traditional heating system.

Your Home Has No Insulation? What Are Your Heating/Cooling Options?

Insulation is a very important factor in improving building energy efficiency. HVAC or otherwise known as heating, ventilation and cooling accounts for a lot of expenses associated with energy consumption in a building. The economic impact and comfort levels of your indoor space can have a dramatic effect with proper insulation. If your home has no insulation there is no need to panic. Mechanical heating and cooling devices should never be used for homes with improper insulation. You can opt for passive heating and cooling methods to reduce energy consumption and maintain comfort indoors.

It is easy to address your home’s lack of insulation by following these simple steps below. It will be easy on your wallet and also improve your home’s health, energy efficiency and comfort in no time at all.

1. Get an energy audit done

Spending $95 on an energy audit is good investment as it will help you choose appropriate upgrades for your home. You will get a customized report of your home’s energy performance in just two to four hours of thorough assessment. By using specialized equipment like infrared cameras, the energy auditor will be able to pinpoint areas that need insulation like gaps in floors, walls, ceilings. He will also suggest ways to uncover the source of drafts by depressurizing the whole house. A series of tests will also be undertaken to assess indoor air quality, moisture damage risks and combustion safety.

2. Pair air sealing and insulation

You need to opt for air sealing in your home as insulating alone will not eliminate drafts, increase energy efficiency and increase indoor comfort. To illustrate further, pairing air sealing and insulation will give you the option of a hard shell rain jacket and your favorite fleece jacket all at once for optimum comfort. If you don’t have a rain jacket, then cold air can move through the fleece and leave you uncomfortably cold. Only if there is a rain jacket over the fleece then it will act as a barrier, thus keeping you nice and warm.

3. Consider inspecting the attic, crawl space and envelope

Before starting on air sealing and insulation for your home, you and your contractor can consider inspecting the attic, crawl space and vertical envelope to check if it needs proper insulation. Spray foam which is used for loose insulation is preferred if you are considering the attic for conditioned storage. For the basement and crawl space, you need to air seal first and then use batt insulation to the appropriate level. The vertical envelope includes areas around the doors, windows and walls. You need to first upgrade your wall insulation before investing in new windows.

4. Filter good air in and bad air out

Good ventilation indoors is extremely important before air sealing and insulating your home. Areas like the kitchen and bathroom should have a fan to remove indoor moisture and eliminate humidity. You may also need whole house ventilation if you live in areas that experience a lot of heat and humidity.

Ø  Keep the heat out during summer and in during winter

The sun’s heat can be used optimally to warm your indoors during the cold months. Open windows to let natural daylight in. During the warmer months, you can close the windows by installing drapes and blinds to keep the rays out and the cooler air in.

Why Heating and Cooling Play a Big Role in Your Energy Cost?

When it comes to heating and cooling our homes and commercial buildings, the simple choices we make everyday can go a long way in helping us protect the environment around the year by cutting costs and managing energy usage efficiently. According to studies, energy is mostly consumed by heating and cooling. In a typical American home, around 56% of energy is used for heating and cooling, which makes it the largest expense. That is why good energy saving habits will help you save precious fossil fuels for the next generation and a good deal of money. To illustrate better, many of us leave the hot water running while shaving. A lot of energy and resources get wasted because you have used a lot of hot water just to rinse out the razor several times. Always make smart decisions when using your air conditioning/heating systems and your home’s other appliances as they contribute to the positive or negative effect in energy bills and your comfort. Increase the working efficiency of your heating and cooling systems by taking these necessary steps.

Run household appliances at off-peak hours

There are special timings during the day when electricity rates are at the lowest. So you can take advantage of that to use household appliances like your clothes washer, dryer and dish washer. This could be at off-peak hours like early in the morning, late evenings or during weekends for lower energy prices. You can also try washing clothes in cold water and air drying them to save on energy costs.

Tune up your HVAC equipment regularly

If you own a car, you will definitely consider tuning it up with regular maintenance and repairs to keep it in top working condition. In the same way, you HVAC equipment needs regular service checks and maintenance to improve its working efficiency and comfort. It can also prevent unwanted costs and future problems. Get in touch with a qualified contractor to undertake annual pre-season service checks to keep your heating and cooling systems at its peak performance levels. Contractors usually get busy during summer and winter, so it’s best to get your systems checked during spring for the hot months and during fall for the cold months. 

Seal your ducts

Forced heating and cooling systems usually have conditioned air flowing to and from your home’s ducts. Improperly sealed ducts are energy wasters as a lot of air is not used for heating and cooling each room in the house properly. Insulating and sealing ducts can improve your home’s energy efficiency by 20% and sometimes even more.  Focus on areas that need more sealing like your crawlspaces, attic, garage and basement. You can wrap them in insulation after sealing them to prevent them from getting too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. 

Reduce energy usage with a programmable thermostat

You can automate your heating and cooling functions with a programmable thermostat. This helps you save big in energy especially when no one is at home during the day or while everyone is asleep.  

Use household appliances properly

Use appliances like the dishwasher and the clothes washer when you have a full load. A half empty washer uses the same amount of energy as a full one. A fridge works more efficiently if it’s not too full. The reverse applies to the freezer as it works best when it two-thirds full. Apply these simple concepts to everyday living that will help you save in the long run. 

Install Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs

Instead of using traditional lighting fixtures to light up your indoor spaces, replace them with CFL bulbs as they use 75% less power and lasts for upto 10 times longer than normal bulbs. 

Consider caulking and weather stripping

One important thing that delivers a great return during winter and summer is taking time to plug up air leaks around doors and windows. You can look for cracks and apply caulk on immovable building components to prevent air leakage. Weatherstrip is also another method to create a tight seal around movable building components such as doors and operable windows. 

Invest on Energy Star appliances

Fight climate and save energy by investing in energy star products. Switching to it is not only easy on your pocketbook but is also good for the environment. According to research, if one in ten homes used energy star products, then the impact could be compared to planting around 1.7 million acres of trees. Energy Star products use very less energy compared to traditional products. They may cost more but they help you save upto $80 on energy bills every year.