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Multi-zones furnace: Do you save energy by turn on only the zone you are in?

Multi-zones furnace: Do you save energy by turn on only the zone you are in?


  #1  
Old 12-17-10, 08:41 AM
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Multi-zones furnace: Do you save energy by turn on only the zone you are in?

I have a gas furnace that supply heat to bedrooms on 2nd floor, 1st floor and the basement. Since one of the zone is to the bedrooms, we shut off the heat there after we get out of the bed. My question is, does it save us any cost for this this? Or it doesn't save any energy since the furnace is still on supplying heat to the 1st floor.

Thanks.
 
  #2  
Old 12-17-10, 03:10 PM
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Anytime you reduce the temperature difference between inside and outside, you reduce the heat escaping through those walls, ceilings, and windows. There are some cautions however. If you are happy with the recovery time for your heating system and if that recovery doesn't involve a supplemental heat source, like electric heating elements, then you should be saving money.

There is also the concern of reducing room temperatures to the point that conditioned inside air is lowered to the point that it drops below the dew point and causes condensation on walls and windows. Areas to watch are closets that have little or no heat source as they will become the coldest.

Also, be careful that reduced temperatures don't allow pipes in unsuspecting areas to freeze.

If your house and heating system were set up and zoned for it, I see no problem. Avoid simply closing heat or return registers as the system needs its designed air flow to function properly.

Bud
 
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Old 12-17-10, 08:53 PM
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Multi zone systems will use more energy! Here is why. The unit will have to be sized to do all the zones. When you close a zone down all the heat is going to the other zones! This will cause the unit to short cycle because it's heating that area faster! Long run times = efficency
 
 

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