Air conditioning zoning: every room at its own temperature
With a single ducted unit, a thermostat in each room decides whether that room is air-conditioned and at what temperature. The rooms you don’t use don’t cost you anything.
What it is
One air conditioner, many temperatures
In a standard ducted installation, the unit sends air to every room at once and a single thermostat, usually in the living room, controls the whole house. The result is familiar: the bedroom too cold, the study too warm and empty rooms being cooled for nothing.
Zoning divides the home into zones, usually one per room. Each zone has its own thermostat and a motorised damper in its duct. Everyone chooses the temperature of their own room, and rooms that aren’t being used stay closed.
How it works
What happens when you change the temperature of a room
- The thermostat callsEach room has its own thermostat. If the room isn’t at the temperature you chose, it calls for air.
- The damper opensA control unit opens that room’s motorised damper and keeps the others closed.
- The unit adaptsThe unit adjusts its output to the open zones: one room is not the same as the whole house.
- It closes when doneWhen the room reaches its temperature, the damper closes. If no zone is calling, the unit stops.
Benefits
Why it’s worth it
- Comfort in every roomEveryone chooses their temperature: a cooler bedroom for sleeping, the living room the way you like it.
- Lower consumptionEmpty rooms aren’t air-conditioned and the unit only works for the rooms that need it.
- Schedules by zoneFor example, the living room during the day and the bedrooms at night.
- Remote controlWith a connection module, from your phone: very handy for holiday homes.
Components
What a zoning system is made of
We choose the components according to the unit and how the installation was done.
Motorised dampers
- They open or close the airflow to each room. They can be in a motorised plenum next to the unit or in each duct.
Room thermostats
- Wired or wireless. They show the room temperature and let you set the one you want.
Control unit
- It receives what each thermostat asks for, moves the dampers and talks to the air conditioning unit.
Connectivity and app
- Optional: a module to control all the zones from your phone and set schedules.
Is it for me?
When zoning makes sense
- Homes with ducted air conditioning and 3 or more rooms, especially if they aren’t all used at the same time.
- Households where people prefer different temperatures.
- Separate bedrooms and living areas: you air-condition each part when you use it.
- Holiday homes, to switch on only what you need, and before you arrive.
If you only need one or two rooms, a split or multi-split may be simpler. And if you already have ducted air conditioning, in many cases zoning can be added without changing the unit.
Zoning in Alicante and Murcia
We install zoning systems in new homes and in existing ducted installations across the area.
- Pilar de la Horadada
- Vega Baja
- Torrevieja
- Orihuela
- Elche
- Murcia
- Cartagena
Frequently asked questions
Does zoning save energy?
Yes, because you don’t air-condition the rooms you aren’t using and the unit adapts its output to the ones you are. How much you save depends on how you use the house: the more empty rooms, the bigger the difference.
Can I have one room on cooling and another on heating?
No. The unit works in one mode at a time for the whole home (cooling or heating). What you choose in each room is whether it is air-conditioned and at what temperature.
Can I control it from my phone?
Many zoning systems allow it with an internet connection module. For example, you can switch the house on before you arrive. We’ll tell you what options the system we propose has.
Can it be added to my existing ducted system?
In many cases yes, without changing the unit: the plenum is replaced with a motorised one or dampers are fitted in the ducts, and the thermostats are added. It depends on how the installation was done and on having an access hatch; we assess it on a visit.
Is there building work?
In a new build or refurbishment it is planned from the start. In a finished home we normally work through the false ceiling access hatch, and the thermostats can be wireless, so the work is usually minimal.
Does it work with heat pumps or underfloor heating?
Yes. With underfloor heating each room is also controlled by its own thermostat, which opens and closes that zone’s circuit. We look at it for each installation.
Contact
Shall we zone your home?
Tell us how many rooms your home has and whether you already have ducted air conditioning. We’ll tell you what fits and send you a quote.
How can we help?