Getting a new air conditioning system in your home is exciting. Instead of having to deal with an old unit or with stifling hot temperatures, you can look forward to cooler days soon. Before you achieve this more comfortable environment, you’ll need to decide between a multi-zone and a single-zone system.
Understanding the Systems
The first step is to understand the difference between multi-zone and single-zone air conditioning. A single-zone system means that every room in your house will be the same temperature. With a multi-zone system, you can customize the temperature from room to room or zone to zone. In other words, you could decide for each room to be its own zone, or to group rooms into zones. For example, all of the bedrooms on the second floor could make up one zone.
Accounting for the House Size
One major factor that plays into whether or not you should get a multi-zone system is the size of the house. A multi-zone system is typically the better choice for larger houses. The odds are that you don’t need every single room at the same temperature all day long. If you have a small one-story house, such as a cozy ranch or a cottage, then a multi-zone system is likely unnecessary.
Conserving Energy
Once you’ve decided that a multi-zone system is most appropriate based on the size of your home, you can start looking at the other benefits. A multi-zone system ultimately helps in terms of saving energy. A multi-zone system allows you to cool only the rooms that are necessary. For example, you will likely keep the bedrooms warmer during the day as these spaces don’t need to be cooled when no one is sleeping. At night, you can raise the temperature in the rest of the house and make the bedrooms cooler.
Accounting for Structural Differences
Some rooms in your house might have high ceilings, or certain spaces might get a lot more sunlight than other areas. Therefore, the rooms have different heating and cooling needs. A multi-zone system allows you to address these differences in an efficient fashion that helps the whole family to stay comfortable.
Addressing the Needs of Older Homes
You might be surprised to learn that a multi-zone system can be a better fit for older homes. The fact of the matter is that choosing single-zone air conditioning will require running the system from room to room, which can be more complicated in older homes. A multi-zone system does not come with the same barrier as each room or zone will undergo its own installation process.
Combining With Heating
Another useful option is to combine the multi-zone air conditioning with your home’s heating. You can have both of these systems installed in a streamlined fashion at the same time. Use the multi-zone system to both heat and cool the house with greater ease.
Saving Money
While it’s true that a multi-zone system will likely cost more in terms of installation than a single-zone system, you can see other money-saving benefits with the first option over the long term. If you have a large house and a single-zone system, you’ll need to blast the air conditioning at full force for all of the spaces throughout the day and night. Doing so can lead to some pretty expensive bills. A multi-zone system offers greater control over cooling bills.
Extending System Life
Choosing a multi-zone option could also help to extend the life of the system. In other words, since you won’t be powering up the air conditioner at full speed in all rooms of the house every day, the system can last for longer. A multi-zone system may also require fewer repairs and less maintenance for the same reason.
Customizing the Temperature
You might find that your family members are constantly arguing over what temperature to set the air conditioning at. Multi-zone systems can alleviate this tension. If your parents like the temperature warmer in their basement apartment and the kids want to keep their bedrooms a bit chillier during the summer months, you can adjust the air conditioning to suit everyone’s needs.
Preparing for Holidays
A multi-zone system can come in quite handy if you tend to host holidays. While the folks in the living room probably don’t want the air conditioning on as they watch a football game on Thanksgiving, you can turn down the temperature in the toasty kitchen as you prepare the turkey and stuffing. During summer celebrations, you can make the bedrooms a bit warmer while everyone gets changed after taking a dip in the pool. A multi-zone system allows you to offer the greatest level of comfort to both residents and guests.
Caring for Pets
Smart pet owners know how important keeping the home safe and comfortable for pets is. When you’re out at work, you don’t need to keep the air conditioning on in the entire house with a multi-zone system. Set the temperature in the zone where the pets hang out to a number that is safe for your furry friends.
Controlling the System Remotely
With a multi-zone system, you don’t typically need to walk over to the unit and press a button to get the air going. One option is to have a remote control that allows you to change the temperature from anywhere in the house. Smart systems are becoming more popular now as well. If you’re out sweating at the park and want to have a cool living room waiting for you at home, you can turn down the temperature in that zone from your phone on the walk back.
Renting Spaces
With a multi-zone system, you can also more easily turn parts of your home into rental properties. For example, you might want to rent out the basement, the second floor or an attached apartment. A single-zone system can make this process more difficult. Your renters are not necessarily going to want their living space set to the same temperature as yours. Advertising the rental as coming with its own air conditioning zone can be quite attractive and can generate more inquiries.
Selling the Home
People purchasing larger homes are often looking for multi-zone air conditioning systems because of the many benefits. If you try to sell a large house with a single-zone system, you might find that you have to lower the price to make a sale or that prospective buyers decide to purchase other homes. Even if selling your house is not on your current to-do list, take into account the fact that you might one day want to put the home on the market. A multi-zone system could lead to a faster and more profitable sale.
Our professionals can help you to choose the right cooling and heating system for your home in Sacramento, Los Molinos, Olivehurst and the surrounding areas. We offer a full range of heating and cooling services, including installation, maintenance and repair. Our team members also work in plumbing, so you can upgrade your entire home. Get started on these home-improvement projects by contacting Gallagher's Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning today.
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