Some people aren't as cool as others. The opposite is true, too: One person might be hot, while another reaches for a sweater. It's rare when everyone in a household agrees on the optimal air temperature. Many people even like to vary temperatures from room to room. Unfortunately, most homes have a single thermostat to control the heating and cooling for the entire house.
What to do? Install electronic zoning, an advanced heating and cooling system allowing independent control of temperatures in each room or group of rooms. Though the concept has been used in commercial buildings for many years, affordable equipment (usually about $2,000 more than standard equipment) for homeowners has only recently reached the market.
The idea is simple. A thermostat or temperature sensor is installed in each zone, along with motorized dampers in the air ducts serving these zones. Activated by the thermostat, a duct's dampers open to allow heated or cooled air into a zone. When the temperature reaches a preset level, the dampers close. Each zone can be temperature tailored to fit you.
These systems are a practical solution in homes of more than 3,500 square feet, where maximum comfort has often required installation of two heaters and two air conditioners.
