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.
No comments:
Post a Comment