WHAT IS ZONED AIR CONDITIONING?

Today, this is usually associated with ductless, or mini-split systems. These treat your entire house without using air ducts and vents. You see them in new construction projects. Or, people use them to update ranches and early suburban homes that were built before central air was available residentially. And, these systems are popular in pre-war and historic houses. They allow homeowners to update their heating and cooling system without changing the look of their home.

How zoned air conditioning works

Zoned air conditioning works differently with systems using traditional ductwork and those without. But, the goal behind both is the same. These setups allow people to control the temperature in different parts of their home separately from others.

Zoned HVAC with ductwork

It’s possible to zone your HVAC using existing ductwork. And, of course, a contractor can design a ducted system that treats different areas of your home individually. To do this, an HVAC professional usually installs dampers in the ductwork. These are essentially vents that go inside the ducts. They open and close to block or allow air flow. It’s possible to control the dampers manually. You can have them installed with a handle that allows you to open and close them. Or, you can install dampers that connect to thermostats in each area of your home. This way, the thermostats control when they open or close based on the temperature in that zone.

How do you create zoned HVAC with a ductless system?

A ductless system creates zoned HVAC by using air handlers in each zone. These attach to the wall and circulate air. They connect to an outdoor heat pump using flexible refrigerant lines that run through the walls and along the side of your home. To draw a comparison, imagine the air handlers are your ducts and the refrigerant lines as the ductwork. But, the similarities end there. Each air handler has a built-in thermostat. So, the units work independently from each other. It’s up to you if you want to set each to the same temperature or treat each zone differently. And, they’re all connected individually to the heat pump. This way, each one is truly independent.

What are the advantages of a mini split?

Mini-splits have been getting more popular with homeowners in Western New York over the last decade as they have become more affordable. They have other advantages over traditional HVAC setups:

1. They are quieter than regular AC’s
2. They are easier to install
3. They cost less to run
4. They can keep the house cooler

Whisper-quiet cooling

This one’s a big selling point: They’re virtually silent when they’re working! Unless you’re’ standing right near an indoor component, you won’t hear a thing. That’s a far cry (no pun intended) from the roar of a window air conditioner or even a central unit.

Easy installation

When there’s no ductwork involved, there’s a lot less work to be done. Of course, you still want an expert team to do the install. But, it’s much less invasive than installing a traditional AC. With ductless, we don’t need to build out soffits along the walls. And we won’t have to use up a whole closet to house equipment. Instead, we run the lines behind the walls and along the outside of your house. And, we make sure to keep everything as far out of sight as possible.

Energy efficiency

Mini-splits use far less energy than central air. In some cases, we’ve seen people cut their electric bills in half over the summer. Part of this has to do with the outdoor heat pump. It uses a heat transfer process to move warmth out of the house without using anywhere near as much energy as a conventional condenser. Meanwhile, the air handlers use multi-stage technology to run most of the time on a low-power setting, Once the zone reaches the right temperature, the handler maintains that. This is different from a central unit that turns on and off a few times every house.

Better cooling

That low-power setting also provides better comfort. We mentioned how central air cycles on and off. Those systems can only work at full power or not at all. So, they wait until the temperature rises. Then, the system turns on and cools things down. Not only does that use more energy, but it also means the temperature fluctuates. With ductless, you’re getting more even, consistent temperatures all the time.

How many air handlers do I need?

If you’re considering a mini-split, you need to know how many air handlers your home will need. After all, each one affects the price of the system as a whole. A trained HVAC professional can determine this based on:

1. The square footage of your home
2. How the rooms are laid out
3. The size and placement of the windows
4. How well the home is insulated