You know the drill: Excessively hot in the summer, extremely cold in the winter. The in between? Completely unpredictable.

When it comes to maintaining home comfort during seasonal transitions, adjusting the indoor temperatures according to outdoor conditions can prove a bit tricky. If you live in a multi-level home, it's more than likely you're familiar with the routine. Heat rises up, making second floor rooms too hot while the main level is cool. During the opposite season, you're left with a too cold basement and a warm main floor. New homes can also present uneven heating and cooling issues, with dramatic temperature swings coming into play due to architectural features such as large glass windows, vaulted ceilings, and lofts, as well as glass-enclosed patio rooms. Add to that balancing sun-facing south rooms with north-facing rooms receiving excess wind, and you've got a recipe for high temperature variances.

With different areas of the home to make comfortable and each family member having different temperature needs, it may seem like it's time to bring on the "thermostat wars." Fortunately, zoning offers an easier fix.

Home Zoning Solution

Zoning provides homeowners with the ability to heat and cool various areas of the home through separate temperature-controlled areas or "zones"—typically three to four designated areas. Working with your HVAC, a zoning system will increase, reduce or shut off heating and cooling in each zone by opening and closing dampers located inside the home's air ducts.

A thermostat, along with a control panel on the inside wall that regulates damper function, allows each zone to be controlled independently. When heating or cooling is programmed for any zone, the appropriate equipment is turned on. The dampers to zones not requiring heating or cooling will close, and the conditioned air will instead be directed to the programmed zone until the thermostat reaches the desired temperature, thus maintaining comfort levels while reducing energy use and utility costs. In fact, if a homeowner uses a zoning system properly, it can pay for itself in as few as two to five years.

Lennox' Harmony III^™ Zoning System offers customized comfort for every corner of the room, dividing your home into four different temperature zones to virtually eliminate hot and cold spots. By directing airflow only to certain areas, the Harmony III Zoning System works with your heating and cooling system to deliver optimum performance without continually operating at peak capacity. Plus, since lower speeds translate to lower sound levels, homeowners can enjoy increased comfort in peace and quiet.

When combined with a Lennox^® variable speed furnace, the Harmony III works even more efficiently to provide precise comfort throughout the home, all year long.