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thesilverback_gw

Does zoning reduce energy used?

thesilverback
10 years ago

Anytime zoning is brought up, every contractor I have spoken to says it is about comfort, not savings. One said, you use more energy because your heat pump/furnace/ac etc. runs more often because one (assume two total for this ex.) Tstat or the other needs satisfied.
However, When the (let's use a hp here) does run, it only has to heat/cool half of a house. If one end of the house gets solar gain or is shaded, the hp only runs to satisfy a tsat for HALF a house.
My house is 73ftx25ft.
Couldn't zoning reduce energy consumption?

Comments (4)

  • mike_home
    10 years ago

    I agree the primary purpose of zoning is comfort, but in some situations it can save energy consumption.

    Take the cases of a two story colonial home with the bedrooms on the upper floor and the furnace in the basement. It is very common to see a 3 - 4 degree temperature difference between floors during the summer. In order to achieve a 75 degree temperature on the second floor, you may have to set the thermostat on the first floor to 71 degrees. This over cooling of the first floor wastes energy. If each floor were zoned with its own thermostat then you could divert most of the air floor to the second floor and more easily achieve the 75 degree setting. You could also set back the thermostat to the first floor if everyone is sleeping in the upstairs bedrooms.

    Zoning can save money if it is installed and set up properly. The problem is most contractor do a poor job on the installation. Be aware of contractors who are talking you out of installing it. It may mean they don't want to deal with a zone installation.

  • tigerdunes
    10 years ago

    Not necessarily. Zoning saves more upfront money from having to buy more than one system over operating costs.

    The key is the right equipment selection correctly sized, the best zoning controls, a properly designed ductwork system, and a dealer who has demonstrated experience and knowing what the heck he is doing.

    IMO

  • klem1
    10 years ago

    â¢Posted by tigerdunes (My Page) on
    Tue, Aug 6, 13 at 8:30
    The key is the right equipment selection correctly sized, the best zoning controls, a properly designed ductwork system, and a dealer who has demonstrated experience and knowing what the heck he is doing.
    ============================================
    ^^^^^^^^What he said is all you need to know unless you are an engineer,hvac tradesman or otherwise educated in hvac who is rethinking past convections. The debte over this subject only continues because those who don't know what they are talking about refuse to alow it to die a peacful death and quit confusing consumers.

    The philosophy I try and convey while adviseing on similar subjects is
    "THEY SAID and I HEARD are two of the biggest liers in town"

  • ionized_gw
    10 years ago

    It depends

    on a lot of details including, are you zoning forced air heat, forced air cooling, or hydronic heat. Furthermore, do you have an open floor plan or does every room have a real door? Furthermore, how good is your insulation and how bad is your air leakage? Furthermore, do you have one or two people in a large house or a lot of people in a few rooms resulting in at least one person in each room most of the time?

    You could even factor in the occupancy of the rooms at certain times of the day. For instance, in a predominantly cooling environment, if you are on the West side of the house in the mornings, and in the East side in the afternoons, zoning would save you more than if your lifestyle and arrangement puts you in the opposite arrangement. You don't have to cool the hottest part of the dwelling.

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