HOW ZONING WORKS:

Zoning is simply a way of dividing your home into areas that have common heating and cooling requirements.  Each area is controlled separately with its own thermostat or sensor.  That way, it can be heated or cooled independently of the other areas to maximize your comfort and
energy savings.

Zoning is accomplished by using automatic dampers in the ducts in each zone.  Each zone is controlled by a thermostat that controls its damper, and the heating/cooling unit provides conditioned air only to those required zones.  The dampers to the zones that are satisfied will close, saving energy.  Automatic setback thermostats allow you to program each thermostat to reach different temperatures during various times of the day.  This truly provides the temperatures you want ...  where you want it ... when you want it!

ZONE FOR ENERGY SAVINGS:

Most people zone for the comfort benefits.  And it's true that typically, zoned systems cost more to install than a non-zoned, conventional heating and cooling system.  But the long-range value of a zoned system outweighs the initial investment:

• Zoning allows you to heat or cool only the zones that need it, not the whole house.  Without zoning, when the thermostat is adjusted to make one part of the house more comfortable, the whole house is heated or cooled.  That wastes fuel and may cause the system to overheat or overcool the rest of the house.
  
• Zoning lets you reduce equipment size or even eliminate a second or third system in some homes.
  
• Zoning increases your comfort and adds to the long-term resale value of your home.
  
• Energy savings from setback thermostats can quickly pay for the additional costs of zoning.