Zoning forced air

Tom Hopkins

As you know, you'll need a thermostat for each zone. Besides that, you'll need a damper for each heat run (you may have more dampers than thermostats), a zoning panel (through which each zone can call for heat from the furnace, and which will close all the dampers except for the zone needing the heat), possibly a bypass damper to accommodate the furnace capacity beyond what one zone needs, a high and low limit control (to keep the furnace from getting too hot if only one zone calls), and probably a 40 VA transformer. The two challenges are being able to get to the heat ducts to install the dampers, and running thermostat wire to each zone. I'm a fan of the Honeywell system. They have wireless thermostats that so you don't have to run stat wire. Another caution is that if you have leaky air ducts, zoning will probably make they leakier.

saxman251

Zoning forced air system

I currently have a 1-zone forced air heating/cooling system and would like to expand it to 2 zones. It is a Trane system that was installed about 2 years ago (I just purchased the home in September). Anyway, what sort of controls do I need (besides the obvious 2nd thermostat!)? This site was a great help when I installed a W-M ultra a couple of years ago, but it seems mostly for hydronics.

Thanks,
Ryan

Derrick Ellefson

Look into ZoneFirst zoning system. The retro round dampers require minimal duct changes and its easy to wire the Plug and play dampers

saxman251

Does it matter if the system is a heat pump? Will that change the way it gets zoned?

carol_3

You'll have to be sure to get a zoning panel and thermostats that accommodate a heat pump. Dampers are the same.