My house includes a little over three thousand square feet.
- There are rooms that my family utilizes every day and those that are nothing more than storage.
We also have guest rooms that are only needed when someone visits. The amount of living space, high ceilings and big windows can make heating and cooling difficult and expensive. We live in an area where temperature fluctuates from the high nineties to the low teens throughout the year. Temperature control is essential and a considerable drain on the budget. When we first moved in, there was a single thermostat handling the comfort of the entire residence. Any adjustment to temperature affected every single room. We were paying huge utility bills to maintain ideal comfort in unused areas. There was no way to target those rooms that tend to feel chilly or overheated. Due to the large expense and disruption of replacing the heating and cooling system, we procrastinated for as long as possible. We paid giant energy bills, often shivered during the winter and sweated in the summer. About two years ago, we couldn’t get by with the outdated furnace or air conditioner any longer. We decided to replace the entire system at the same time and invest into a high-efficiency, Energy Star upgrade. We spent extra for the benefit of zoned control. There is now a thermostat installed in each room that provides for independent control. These smart thermostats are linked to an app on our smartphones. It is extremely easy to raise or lower temperature settings as well as to adjust fan speeds and humidity levels. We are saving a considerable amount of money on heating and cooling throughout the year. Zoning capability has also reduced the workload of the furnace and air conditioner and will hopefully elevate reliability and extend service life.
