While the roots of residential zoned comfort control lie in the commercial market where necessity drove its invention, the controls have become exceedingly more feature-filled and functional, while at the same time, in many cases, easier than ever to apply. This is reminiscent of similar products/systems such as security systems, computer networks, etc.
Early residential zone control systems were not much more than a set of relays that would perform the function of closing dampers while simultaneously turning on the heating and cooling equipment. There was no built-in equipment protection, no indicator lights for troubleshooting, and early dampers were typically more prone to failure, creating frustration for HVAC contractors. No wonder early zone control systems gave zoning a black eye and in many cases drove contractors to an even more primitive method of zoning - installing multiple HVAC systems in a home.