https://airsystemsmechanical.com/arzels-residential-zoning-system/We’ve all been there. It’s Christmas Day, Grandma is sitting in the living room with a blanket wrapped around her, while you are sweating in the kitchen. You should be enjoying a cool Christmas. Instead, you’re facing the annual ‘thermostat wars’.
Your thermostat is supposed to keep everyone in the home comfortable. However, uneven heating typically leads to thermostat wars around the house. This happens in many cities in the US, especially in multi-story Pennsylvania homes. While you may not even know it, uneven heating in your home is a real problem. And during the holidays, this even becomes more noticeable. Everywhere becomes busy, and more people gather around the house or specific places.
This article explains what causes this uneven heating, especially in multi-story homes, why it’s comfortable, and how it leads to thermostat adjustments. Learn how an HVAC zoning system retrofit can help you regulate your home temperature, and how Arzel Zoning Systems could help to keep everyone comfortable this Christmas.
What Causes Uneven Heating?
You’ll mostly experience this when the house is full of people. When it is the holiday season, you notice that the temperature keeps changing regularly. It happens when, for instance, the living room is cool. Next, it becomes really hot.
With many people in a room, the heat from their bodies may raise the temperature. The rooms with less noise or fewer people would be cool. The frequent movement between indoors and outdoors, doors opening and closing throughout the day, and being in the kitchen cause uneven heating.
As we mentioned earlier, uneven heating in two-story house is common in Pennsylvania. It’s related to the stack effect. This effect causes warm air to rise. This way, the heat moves upward. And since the two stories in Pennsylvania are mostly open staircases, warm air goes upstairs even faster. This is a situation where you need to fix the hot upstairs, cold downstairs winter immediately.
There’s also the issue of their thermostat placement. Usually, a residence has only one thermostat. In most cases, it is on the ground floor. Now, when a part of your residence gets to the desired temperature, the furnace switches off. It could even switch off when the upstairs rooms are still too cold or already overheating.
HVAC Zoning System Retrofit
HVAC zoning allows your home to be divided into separate temperature zones. It controls each ‘zone’ independently. Instead of using one thermostat, zoning allows each floor or area to have its own control.
With an HVAC Zoning system, every zone in your house has just the right amount of heating or cooling. It’s even both practical and cost-effective. HVAC zoning is one of the effective multi-story home heating solutions that Pennsylvania homeowners could use during the cold winter months.
The components of an HVAC zoning system retrofit include:
- The Zone Control Panel: The zone control panel receives signals from each thermostat. It determines how air is circulated throughout the home. For example, if your kitchen requires cooling while cooking, this panel directs more airflow to that specific zone. This control panel directs more airflow to that zone. It does this while reducing airflow to areas that are already comfortable. This coordination enables single furnace dual zone control. You don’t even need a second HVAC unit.
- Thermostats for Each Zone: There’s a thermostat for every zone in your home. You can then control the temperature in any area. Instead of one thermostat being affected by changes in room temperature, each one reads the conditions where it is installed. Especially now that it’s Christmas, you don’t really need to make many thermostat adjustments in a day.
- Zone dampers: They regulate the amount of air that flows into each zone. They open when a zone needs heating or cooling. They close once they have reached your desired temperature. In HVAC zoning retrofit, the dampers are installed in a way that minimizes disruption. It’s even perfect for zoning existing ductwork in PA.
- Bypass Damper: A bypass damper protects the system when multiple zones don’t need heating or cooling anymore. As dampers close, air pressure can build up in the ducts. The bypass damper sends any excess air back into the return duct or a neutral area of the home.
Ending Thermostat Wars With Arzel Zoning Systems
So when it comes to solving uneven heating in your home, Arzel stands out. It’s designed specifically for Retrofit comfort. Arzel zoning allows you to treat your upstairs and downstairs as completely separate comfort zones. With this, it still uses a single furnace. Instead of using a single thermostat to regulate the entire house, Arzel makes it possible for each floor to get the right amount of heat at the right time.
Arzel has zoning panels that work with all residential systems. We even recommend the HeatPumPro. which is compatible with conventional furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, dual fuel, and multi-stage equipment. You’ll have air temperature protection and an outside air sensor that handles heat pump changeovers.
As your local HVAC zoning contractor in Beaver County, we provide multi-story home heating solutions that Pennsylvania residents can trust. What you have to do is easy; retrofit your existing system with Arzel Zoning, especially this Christmas. Get a quote today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add zoning to my existing HVAC system?
Yes, absolutely. You can even do this without replacing your furnace or air conditioner. Retrofit systems like the Arzel Zoning System use pneumatic dampers that slide easily into your existing ductwork. This allows you to create separate temperature zones for different floors or rooms. You still get to use your own thermostat. You can save costs because you don’t need to install another furnace.
Why is my house upstairs so hot and my downstairs so cold during winter?
It is related to the “stack effect,”. The warm air goes up to the second floor. This leaves the ground floor chilly. Also, the single thermostat downstairs is not enough. It cannot detect the temperatures upstairs. The heater may have turned off. And this is before the air reaches upstairs. HVAC zoning fixes this by placing thermostats on every floor. This controls airflow independently.
Is HVAC zoning worth the cost?
HVAC could be worth the cost. This is especially worth it for multi-story homes in climates like Pennsylvania. It eliminates hot/cold spots. It also reduces energy bills by up to 30% by allowing you to stop heating unused rooms. For example, rooms like guest bedrooms. When you compare the cost of installing a second HVAC unit, retrofitting a zoning system is more affordable and comfortable.
How does Arzel zoning work?
Arzel zoning works by using air-driven (pneumatic) dampers. It is inserted into your ductwork to direct airflow where it is needed. Unlike motor-driven systems, which are noisy and prone to failure, Arzel uses a quiet air pump. The air pump inflates and deflates damper bladders. This unique design makes it the industry standard for reliable, quiet retrofits in existing homes.