Before I started my career at
Arzel, I spent the better part of 20 years as a residential
service technician. Spring and summer were always
interesting and challenging times of the year. Whether I was
being called out for maintenance or an emergency, I would
arrive at a two-story or split-level home and get the same
question, “why is my second floor warmer than the first?”
This comfort issue continually frustrates homeowners,
especially those in just-built homes who expect everything
to be perfect. I would try to explain the challenge of
overcoming the physics of warm air rising and cool air
falling which made it difficult to get all the areas
completely comfortable. At that time, there was not always a
reasonable solution to these problems, especially for
existing home applications. Homeowners were willing to
accept the answer that “this is just the way these houses
are” and deal with being uncomfortable.
The Answer: Retrofit Zoning Systems
Comfort solutions, especially zoning, have come a long way
since then and as comfort expectations increase, homeowners
are more willing to do something about it.
The HVAC industry has evolved over the years from providers
of heating and air conditioning to whole house comfort
advisors, and we have learned there are a number of issues
that create this too hot, too cold problem.
Most of the time this has something to do with the attic
space:
•Not enough insulation in
the ceiling
•Unsealed penetration in to the attic causing the hot, humid
air to be drawn into the living space
•Unsealed/Un-Insulated return ducts pulling hot air from the
attic
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Trying to
operate a system with a single point of control can make
achieving an acceptable comfort level in these applications
a challenge. The dramatic temperature difference is most
commonly caused by the thermostat being located on the first
floor and the air in the duct system taking the path of
least resistance, therefore delivering more air to the first
floor.
As you are your customers’ comfort advisor, I urge you to
investigate if they are affected by any of these factors and
to be aware of what their comfort expectations are for their
home.
Sealing up the envelope of the home is important for the
energy efficiency as well as the indoor air quality. Adding
zoning gives you the ability to customize the control
strategy to meet your homeowner’s needs.
Download our free application guide to identify common
applications for zoning.
Click here to get it now!
Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc. is the
industry pioneer of comfort and efficiency enhancement
systems for retrofit as well as new construction HVAC
projects. Arzel solutions are available throughout North
America via a growing network of contractors and wholesale
distributors. The patented solutions offered by Arzel lead
the zoning industry in installation flexibility, reliability
and warranty. For more information on Arzel® products please
visit
www.arzelzoning.com
or contact a local HVAC distributor.
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