Do you turn on all the lights in your house whenever you’re there? Does every room of your home have the same number of lamps and mounted lighting devices? Unless you’ve taken leave of your senses, you answered a resounding “No,” to each of those questions. Common sense dictates that we only turn on lights in rooms we’re using, and shut them off after we leave.
So, why do so many people choose to set their air-conditioning system to one, universal temperature for the entire home when only one or two rooms at a time are occupied? Of course, folks who use a MyAir Zoning system never have to worry about wasting power by heating or cooling every room at once. That’s because setups like MyAir Zoning, and other ducted AC management arrangements, can set and control individual room temperatures as they wish.
Every Room Is Different
In fact, there are different “ideal” temperatures for every room in a standard house, based on universal averages and homeowner preferences. For instance, here are some of the ranges for residential homes:
Room/area: Entryways, Bedrooms, Corridors
Ideal temp: 15 – 19 degrees C
Room/area: Living rooms and offices
Ideal temp: 20 – 22 degrees C
Room/area: Kitchen
Ideal temp: 18 – 20 degrees C
Room/area: Bathroom
Ideal temp: 22 – 24 degrees C
Your own preferences might be higher or lower than those common set-points. However, the most efficient way to heat or cool any home is to allow for a variety of cooling “zones,” as the MyAir Zoning system does.
How Do Zoning Units Operate?
Modern zoning systems let you do two things at once. First, you have the power to adjust and/or set specific temps for any room in your home, based on personal preferences or whether that room happens to be occupied. Second, you can use a tablet or smartphone to control the amount of airflow within each room.
Most zoning units let users connect their home’s lighting as well, which means you can set lamps and wall or ceiling lights to come on or shut off at pre-set times every day. Obviously, the primary advantage of zoning is energy-saving. Done right, a zoned home can end up using much less power than one that does not use a zoning system.
What About Infants and the Elderly?
It’s easy to forget that very young children, infants, and older folks have much different temperature needs than active adults. An infant’s room, for example, should be set at a temperature range between 16 and 20 degrees C for optimum sleeping conditions.
As for older people, especially those over the age of 75, their living spaces need to be kept to at least 18 degrees C at all times, with a flexible upper range based on personal preferences and unique medical needs.
Modern Technology
One of the great benefits of modern heating and cooling systems is that they’re fully adaptable to families of all sizes, and can accommodate variable room temperature settings that minimize energy use and keep every occupied room as comfortable as needed.