Nearly every home or business could benefit from forced air zoning. The question is, “Why are more contractors and or builders not offering this value-add to their clientele?” A couple common responses we hear in the field are, “It’s too complicated,” or “Installing zoning leads to too many call backs.” Sound familiar? The truth is, thisusedto be the case. However, zoning has evolved, and it can benefit the technician in a big way. Whether you’re a seasoned technician that has been offering zoning for 30 years, or you’re a trainee that has stumbled across your first system, nearly every tech in the industry has dealt with zoning. Before we dig in, let’s cover exactly what forced-air zoning is, for those a little less familiar.
As an example, we are going to focus solely on residential zoning applications. Zoning is a solution that compensates for variations in load throughout a home. When properly installed, a zoning system could save homeowners up to 40 percent on their annual energy consumption. A zoning system consists of thermostats, a control panel, and zone dampers. Zones can be laid out in a number of ways, including according to load differences such as upstairs/downstairs or east-to-west, or according to activity, such as bedrooms versus living spaces.