Comfort Zoning

A lot of times there are rooms in your house that are warmer or colder than others are. There can be many explanations for this. For one, heat rises so rooms with second or third floors are often too warm. In turn, basement rooms are typically too cold. Rooms with vaulted ceilings have a difficult time retaining heat, while rooms that receive long hours of sunlight are often difficult to cool down. These are just a few reasons, but regardless of why a room's temperature is uncomfortable, there's only one surefire way to even out your house's temperature, system zoning.

System Zoning is pretty simple. It involves multiple thermostats that are wired to a control panel, which operates dampers within the ductwork of your forced air-system. The thermostats constantly read the temperature of heir specific zone, then open or close the dampers within the ductwork according to the thermostats setting. Not only is system zoning helpful for houses with inconsistent room temperatures, but it's also great for heating or cooling individual bedrooms based on the desired temperature setting. If you have a usually empty guest room, just shut the door and close the damper.

If used properly, system zoning can help you save money on your energy bills. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, system zoning can save homeowners up to 30 percent on a typical heating and cooling bill. Those savings can add up to quite a sum. The Department of Energy also estimates that heating and cooling account for 40 percent of the average household's utility costs. Heat pumps save money over a furnace or other electric units. Because guest rooms and other seldom-used rooms don't require constant heating or cooling, system zoning allows you to save money by running temperature-controlled air to those rooms only when it is necessary.

Humidifiers and de-humidifiers can also add comfort to your home. Check with Amtech Mechanical, your Home Comfort Specialists

Georgetown