How Many HVAC Zones Is Too Many for Your Home?

If it’s difficult to get your entire home to a comfortable temperature or different family members have different comfort preferences, consider dividing your home into HVAC zones. A zoning system regulates different areas of your home separately while saving energy. How many HVAC zones do you need? Can you have too many? Here’s what you need to know.

Who Needs HVAC Zones?

The most common reason for installing a zoning system is disparate temperatures between floors in a multistory house. Heat rises, so in the winter, the furnace will warm the top floor first, while those on the ground floor might still be shivering. In summer, however, it will take longer for the cool air to reach the top floor, leaving it uncomfortably hot.

A zoning system lets you control each floor individually. A thermostat in each zone allows for more accurate temperature monitoring across the house, while a variable-speed air handler can send more or less air to a particular zone as needed. You may also need HVAC zoning if there are large windows on one side of the house, letting more sunlight in and making it hotter than on the other side, or if your house simply covers a large area that makes it difficult to regulate the space accurately with a single thermostat.

How Many HVAC Zones Do You Need?

The most basic systems begin with two zones: one upstairs and one downstairs. However, you may need more than just two zones. Consider the individual needs of different areas of your house. Is one area frequently hotter than others? Is there one area where your family spends a lot of time? Those areas need their own HVAC zones.

Do different family members have different temperature preferences? Consider a separate zone for each bedroom so that each person can adjust their space to their own comfort level. Talk to your HVAC contractor to see how many zones they recommend for your home to keep everybody happy and comfortable.