How Can a Zoning System Benefit You?

If you live in a home with more than one level, odds are you could benefit from a zoning system. Other special circumstances in a home also make HVAC zoning a good idea.

With a zoning system, the home is divided into two or more separate areas, in which the rooms share climate conditions. Using separate thermostats and automated duct dampers, the homeowner can control temperatures (and sometimes the humidity) in the separate zones. The dampers open when the thermostat calls for more heating or cooling, and close when the set temperature has been achieved.

In a home with just one thermostat, temperatures throughout the house are affected, for better or worse, by climate conditions or comfort preferences in the room where the thermostat is located. This is usually a living room or hallway on the main floor.

In a multi-floor home, this means a finished basement will stay chilly in the winter, since the thermostat in the living room shuts down the heat long before the basement is comfortable. Likewise, in the summer, upstairs and loft bedrooms never cool off since the A/C shuts down when the desired temperature is reached on the main floor. Homeowners resort to unsatisfactory solutions such as loud and clanky room air conditioners and energy-sucking space heaters.

Other situations that result in variable temperatures in a home include rooms or sections made with different building materials, more or fewer windows, orientation to the sun, and vaulted ceilings, among many others.Following are some basic benefits of a zoning system:

• You'll save energy (and money at the end of the month) by not heating or cooling unoccupied areas.

• Family harmony will prevail when different family members aren't arguing over the thermostat. If they don't like the temperature in one area in the house, they can move to another.

• You shouldn't have to tolerate a home where some rooms or areas are uncomfortable without space heating or cooling. Whole-house comfort should be a given.

To talk to an expert about a zoning system for your Broken Arrow area home, please contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “geralt/Pixabay”

Zoned Systems Deliver Cool Air, Warmth As Needed

Have you ever found a room's perfect temperature, only to have the heating system suddenly switched off by someone else? This is one reason why zoning systems have become increasingly popular over the years. By allowing separate temperature controls in your Greater Tulsa Metropolitan area home, you'll have greater control over your comfort level.Physics makes a whole-house approach impracticalDue to the basic laws of physics, it is not possible to maintain the temperature of an entire home by using a whole-house heating or cooling system. Why? For the simple fact that heat rises, which means that the upper levels of your home will always be warmer than the lower levels. This is especially prevalent if you have a multi-story house with a basement. All you have to do is walk from your second floor down to the basement, and the difference will hit you like a cold slap in the face.Zoning systems solve the physics problemIt isn't good enough to set a temperature for your entire household. Your thermostat will turn on and off depending on the temperature in the room it's installed in, but won't adjust for any of the other areas of the house. Zoning systems work by the utilization of multiple thermostats, each assigned to a "zone." By dividing certain areas of your home into zones, you can easily maintain the desired temperature in each room.Zoning systems also solve the "people problem"Each person has a different idea of the ideal temperature. Some may like a constant feeling of warmth, while others might prefer that the heat goes off for a bit so they can cool off. No matter the preference, a zoning system will provide each member of your household with much better control over their individual comfort level. This means that one spouse can be just as comfortable reading a book upstairs as the one watching TV downstairs.For more expert advice about zoning systems, or for questions relating to home comfort, please contact the friendly professionals at Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning & Geothermal. We have been servicing the Greater Tulsa Metropolitan area since 1985.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Programmable Thermostats Can Handle Oklahoma's Temperature Shifts

Proper insulation may be the first thing you think of as you get ready for the upcoming Oklahoma winter, and it's certainly important. However, programmable thermostats should also be included in your energy efficiency arsenal. They can help you maintain indoor temps easily and automatically -- just "set and forget." Even better, these thermostats can save you significant money on your energy bills. How?

Set automatic temperature settings for different times of day

Programmable thermostats can help you save energy by letting you set different temperatures for different times of day. You can save as much as 10 percent on your energy bills with careful use. For example, setting your thermostat for 68 degrees during the day and a few degrees lower at night is advised during Oklahoma's winter months, while setting it to 78 degrees around the clock during the summer months will help you reduce your energy bills almost effortlessly. (These thermostats easily store multiple temperature settings to be used at various times of day or night -- no need to keep track yourself.)

Heat or cool individual rooms with zoning systems

Install a zoning system, and you can set programmable thermostats to individual temperatures for each room or zone. If you don't spend a lot of time in certain areas, you can set thermostats in those zones to more energy-efficient temperatures (or even shut them off altogether), but keep often-used rooms like the living room at more comfortable temperatures.

Choose your temperature set points, and then leave them be

Programmable thermostats conserve energy and save you money because they seamlessly keep indoor temperatures steady once you set them. If you are constantly "playing" with your thermostat and changing temperature settings, your system won't be able to do its job properly. In fact, you could lose any cost savings you might otherwise see if you do so. Choose temperature settings for Oklahoma's fall and winter temps, and then leave them be until spring rolls around.

For more information and advice on programmable thermostats or other needs, please contact us at Air Assurance. We've been serving Broken Arrow and the Tulsa area since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Zoned Temperature Control -- Would It Be Beneficial In Your Home?

Zoned temperature control is a unique solution to home heating and cooling problems. By dividing your home into zones, and with dampers installed in ductwork that are controlled by a series of corresponding thermostats, you can better manage not only energy costs, but home comfort, too.Home comfort problemsTwo homes with the same square footage can differ dramatically in design; however, they might utilize the same-sized capacity air conditioner. Certain design features can greatly inhibit the ability of any one system to effectively cool a home, including:

• Rooms with cathedral ceilings

• Great rooms

• Two-story homes

• Rooms with large windows

• Additions over a garage or in an attic space

The problem with these types of features is that they often require more cooling than traditional spaces. But with just one thermostat monitoring your home’s temperature, it can be difficult to accomplish whole-house comfort. Further, if you were to turn up the thermostat to provide additional cooling to a great room, the rest of the home would become too cold—and you’d waste energy dollars.With zoned temperature control, you can achieve both goals: better comfort and decreased energy costs. By designating your great room as one zone, you can set the temperature for that space, and then the dampers to that zone’s ductwork will stay open until it reaches the pre-set temperature. With each zone independently controlled, the dampers will close once each space is appropriately cooled, limiting your energy costs.Zoned temperature control is convenient, too. It’s particularly useful when family members have differing ideas about what constitutes a comfortable temperature. You can set one temperature in the space you’re occupying, and another family member can set their zone to what they think is a comfortable setting. Zoned temperature control puts an end to thermostat wars!Consider how zoned temperature control can solve your home comfort problems and help you to manage energy costs at the same time. For more information, or to schedule a free consultation, contact Air Assurance Heating, Cooling & Air Quality today!  We've been serving homeowners in the greater Broken Arrow area for more than 30 years.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our websiteto see our current promotionsand get started today!     

A Zoning System Gives You More Control Over The Heating And Cooling In Your Home

Your house doesn’t use one light switch to control all the lighting in your home does it? Then why would you use just one thermostat to control your heating and cooling systems? Zoning systems give you much more control over how you use your conditioned air, and provide you with a number of other benefits as well. By installing multiple thermostats in your house, each in control of a different zone, you are able to circumvent constructional features that would otherwise be creating inconsistencies in your home’s temperature. In a single-thermostat system, things like windows and cathedral ceilings can allow for heat to transfer in and out of your house or prevent air from circulating, creating warm or cool patches. When each thermostat is in control of a smaller, more manageable area, it prevents this from happening. Each zone gets the appropriate amount of air needed rather than air just being dispersed evenly.In order to obtain a steady temperature throughout your house, all you have to do is set all the thermostats to the same temperature. Certain zones will get more air than others to compensate for their needs, but you won’t feel those annoying warm or cool patches.However, one of the greatest benefits of zoning systems is the fact that you can intentionally set different temperatures in different parts of the house. This is convenient because various occupants of a house often disagree on what the temperature should be, an event so common it is referred to as the “battle of the thermostat”. For example, Mom can have the study a few degrees cooler than the living room that Dad is in without either person disrupting the other's comfort.Your HVAC technician will help you develop a zoning strategy that will help you get the most energy savings possible. By planning zones based on what rooms are used more often than others, you can set zones to energy-efficient modes to save more money.For more information on zoning systems, contact Air Assurancetoday. We proudly serve the Tulsa and Broken Arrow regions.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our websiteto see our current promotionsand get started today!      Photo courtesy ofShutterstock.

Zoning Systems -- Put Your Family Back In the Comfort Zone

Does the temperature never seem right in your Broken Arrow home? Do some of the rooms seem impossible to heat? Do others rooms never seem to get quite cool enough? Are your family members battling over the thermostat, with each member complaining that he or she is too warm or cold? Zoning systems can put your family back in the comfort zone, and save you money in the process.What are zoning systems?Zoning systems divide your home into different zones, enabling your HVAC system to meet the heating and cooling needs of each zone. The zones may range in size from one large room to multiple rooms. Zoning systems allow you to set the temperature lower in some parts of your home and higher in others. You can also turn off the heating or cooling in select rooms.Why zoning systems?If your home can be described by any of the following, zoning systems may be necessary to keep the temperature regulated:

• Multi-level house

• Large open areas with vaulted ceilings, lofts or atriums

• Rooms with large windows

• Temperature patterns vary according to the time of the day

• Finished rooms in the basement or attic

• Extra rooms over the garage

• House has wings that extend from the main living area

Why do zoning systems make sense for whole-home comfort?

• Zoning systems regulate the temperature throughout the house, putting an end to the hot room/cold room phenomenon, and creating an overall level of comfort.

• Rooms with more people, such as the living room or kitchen, can be kept cooler. This is particularly ideal if you enjoy hosting social gatherings or parties.

• Thermostat can be programmed to cool or heat at particular times in particular rooms.

• Zoning systems help you save money by allowing you to not pay to heat or cool rooms you do not use.

• Each family member can adjust the temperature in his/her zone to his/her comfort level, leading to fewer fights between family members and increased comfort.

If you are interested in having a zoning system installed in your Broken Arrow-area home, contact Air Assurance today.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our websiteto see our current promotionsand get started today!      Photo courtesy ofShutterstock.

Make The Most Of Your HVAC Equipment With A Zoning System

One of the greatest advances in home comfort was the introduction of zoning systems. A home can be fitted with separate thermostats to monitor heating and cooling in different "zones," or areas, of a home. These are tied to a central thermostat control that can distribute cool and warm air in a more controlled fashion. Dampers placed in ducts control the temperature for the different areas. For example, if a south-facing area of the home has a bank of windows and needs more cool air in the summer, dampers will open more for that area. North-facing areas with more shading would require less, and dampers would constrict that air flow. Zoning systems thus direct warm and cool air into areas where they are needed most.The floor plans of most homes are not logically designed for optimum air distribution. Hot air rises, cool air falls. Therefore, the same amount of cooling is not needed for downstairs areas as it is for upstairs. Rooms farther away from the HVAC system can also receive less air flow than is required. Zoning systems address that lack of balance and create a more even heating and cooling pattern throughout the home.In addition, rooms or sections of a home that require less heating or cooling due to limited use can get less air flow, thus saving energy. A properly designed zoning system can not only maximize home comfort but also reduce energy costs.  Think of it as like a light switch for different rooms of your home.  Of course we have those, but who would have only one light switch that controlled every room's lights?  Same principle with zoning systems.  You don't have to cool all of your house, just to be comfortable in part of your house.If you would like to investigate the advantages of zoning systems for your Oklahoma home, contact the comfort experts at Air Assurance. We can explain all the benefits and logistics of zoning. We're always ready to give you the information that you need in order to take better control of your home comfort.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.