In regulating the temperature and climate in your Southern California home, efficiency has always been important. But as both the cost of energy and temperatures continue to climb in Los Angeles, finding ways to make your air conditioning system more efficient not only helps to keep you comfortably cool, but it also helps you save money by reducing your energy costs. One of the most effective methods for creating controlled airflow efficiency is through zone control.
Zoning Your Space
Imagine dividing your house or office into separate areas, or zones. For instance, the kitchen or break room would be one zone, while the living room or the den would be yet another. By placing separate thermostats throughout your home, you create zones that the air conditioning system can monitor and regulate independently.
Zones are especially beneficial in structures with more than one story. Because warm air rises, upper area levels tend to be warmer. In air conditioning systems with only one thermostat, the placement of that thermostat is tasked with regulating the air temperature for two separate zones. The results are apparent; a single thermostat only responds to the room or space in which it is placed, and thus creates those familiar and unwanted warm and cold spots throughout your structure.
Let the Control Panel Do the Work
Computerized control panels have changed all of that. These low-voltage units are integrated into your existing air conditioning system and are capable of processing temperature input from multiple thermostats simultaneously. Using a series of door-like dampers inside your ductwork and the data from the thermostats, the control panel does the work of figuring out which duct dampers should be opened or closed in order to control the airflow throughout your home or business with greater efficiency.
Air conditioning systems that feature zone control offer an additional benefit. With the strategic placement of thermostats throughout your living space, your has greater control over their personal temperature preferences, while you have the flexibility to reduce the flow of climate controlled air into unoccupied spaces.
You Are Entering the Savings Zone
When used correctly, zone control air conditioning can help you cut your energy bill significantly. The US Department of Energy estimates that heating and cooling costs for the average household can amount to 40% of all utility costs. Zone-controlled air conditioning may help you knock off a quarter of your current energy bill.
Although installing zone control air conditioning makes perfect sense for new residential construction projects in Los Angeles, upgrading your existing SoCal air conditioning system with zone control technology is also possible. Many companies offer damper systems that can be retrofitted into your existing ductwork, allowing current property owners to upgrade to these more energy-efficient air conditioning systems without having to replace their entire HVAC unit.
While zone control air conditioning is clearly more energy-efficient, it also affords you greater control over individual temperature settings for various parts of your home as well as ease the strain on your entire HVAC system, and that translates to cost savings, which is cool no matter how hot it gets.