Unlike a central heating system, zonal heating allows you
to adjust the temperature at varying levels throughout the house.
Zonal heating with individual units in each room (or zone)
is a popular choice in homes. Separate thermostats give you the flexibility to
control areas to be heated providing maximum comfort in every room.
Zonal heat can also take advantage of passive solar heat
allowing the sun to warm certain areas of the house without affecting the
entire system. Planning for a zonal heating system must start early because the
system depends on the efficiency of the building shell and the floor plan.
A zone, in the typical home, would be defined as any area
isolated from other areas by partitions or doorways. For instance, each bedroom
is usually a separate zone. A typical 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home might need
seven or eight zones. Homes with more open floor plans will have fewer zones.
There can be more than one heater in a zone controlled by a single thermostat.
Baseboard Heat
Fan-Assisted Wall
Heaters
Radiant Heating Systems
