Dear Jim: I considered a setback thermostat, but our family’s daily schedule is never the same. Also, someone is always too warm or chilly year-round. Is a whole-house zoning system the answer for us? – Mike J.

Dear Mike: Adding on a zoning system is the answer for almost any home, and I would not be surprised if it becomes standard equipment in every new home within 10 years. Installing a zoning system can cut your heating and air-conditioning costs by 10 to 20 percent while actually improving your comfort.

When you think about it, you would laugh at having only one light switch that turns on every light in your home. This is how your furnace and air conditioner work. Most homes have just one wall thermostat, so if that room requires heating or cooling, the entire house gets it too, needed or not.

The concept of zoning a home is very simple. Thermostats are installed in several different areas (zones) of your home. It is possible to have a separate thermostat for each room; however, for most homes, the lower utility bills would not justify the cost. Two to four zones is usually adequate.

There is a damper (attached to each thermostat) in the heating duct leading to each of the zones. If one zone needs more heat, but the other zones are warm enough, its damper opens and the other zone dampers close. The furnace starts to force heated air to only the chilly zone that needs more heat.

It is also programmable. There is no need to keep the bedrooms toasty warm after everyone is up. You can set the bedroom zone thermostat to lower the temperature after 8 a.m. and warm it again at 10 p.m. Program it to lower the kitchen zone temperature at 10 p.m. and raise it at 7 a.m.

The best zoning systems have automatic heating/cooling changeover for comfort and savings. During milder weather, if one zone needs cooling, the air conditioner runs and cools only that zone. If another room is too cold, the furnace automatically starts to heat only that zone.

Many systems have mechanical dampers that slip into your existing ducts. With these, only a small slot needs to be cut into the duct. The damper paddle slides into the duct with the tiny servo motor on the outside. It is screwed into place. There are damper sizes to fit almost any existing duct.

Another design uses compressed air instead of motors. Still another uses a balloon inside a short length of duct. This is inserted into the existing duct. To block air flow to a room, a small air pump fills the balloon.

Modulating dampers vary the air flow to each zone instead of being totally opened or closed like standard dampers. These provide the best comfort control.

Write for (instantly download – www.dulley.com) Update Bulletin No. 505 – buyer’s guide of 12 home zoning system manufacturers listing number of zones, type and size of dampers, control-comfort features and a utility bills savings chart. Include $3 and a business-size SASE. Send to James Dulley, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244.