How Smart Thermostats and Zoning Can Boost Your Commercial Heating
Your Alpena, business thrives on efficiency, and that includes your heating system.
Keeping a commercial building comfortably warm without breaking the bank can be a challenge for business owners and facility managers during a Michigan winter.
At Root’s Heating & Cooling, we are known for our commitment to keeping homes efficient and cozy. But did you know that we also specialize in light commercial heating and cooling? From small offices and retail shops to restaurants and office buildings, our team provides expert installation, maintenance, and repair for light commercial HVAC systems in the Thumb region and Northeast Michigan.
We understand that a comfortable environment is crucial for both employee productivity and customer satisfaction, and we’re dedicated to helping businesses achieve those goals. That means we think beyond the conventional to find the perfect solution explicitly suited for your commercial property.
In many cases, a centralized and ducted HVAC system with a single thermostat cannot adequately heat and cool the diverse spaces in your building.
For example, you want to keep offices comfortably warm, but not waste energy on heating storage spaces and rarely used areas, such as conference rooms, when they are not in use. A smart thermostat paired with zoning can provide the precise temperature control you need, while reducing energy consumption and saving on heating and cooling costs.
Read on to discover what smart thermostats and zoning are and how they work together.
What Is a Smart Thermostat?
A smart thermostat is a Wi-Fi enabled device that learns your building’s habits—its hours, where and when employees work, and where customers come and go—and adjusts itself to meet changing heating needs. It uses algorithms and advanced sensors to monitor indoor and outdoor temperatures, as well as track building occupancy as it adjusts indoor temperatures.
For example, if your Alpena, building is closed overnight, the thermostat can automatically lower the heat to save energy and bring the temperature up before employees and customers arrive the next morning. A smart thermostat leads to less manual management and more energy savings.
Remote access allows you to control your heating system from anywhere using an app on your mobile device, such as a smartphone and tablet. A smart thermostat can also connect with a building management system and other smart devices.
Need data on energy consumption? A smart thermostat provides detailed insights to help you craft an energy usage strategy.
What Is a Zoning System?
A thermostat tells your HVAC system when to turn on and off. A zoning system controls where it delivers hot or cold air.
A zoning system divides your building into multiple “zones,” each with its own thermostat and motorized dampers in the ductwork. The dampers open and close to direct conditioned air to the zones that need it.
Instead of heating or cooling the entire building to one temperature, you can set different temperatures for different zones based on occupancy, time of day, and specific needs.
A Root’s HVAC professional can show you how smart thermostats and zoning would work together in your Michigan business to provide improved comfort and energy savings. Schedule a consultation by calling 989-871-2067 or request service online.
The Benefits of Zoning and Smart Thermostats
Combining a zone control system and smart thermostats in a commercial building takes temperature control to the next level. Here are a few benefits:
Lower Energy Bills: With zoning, you only heat and cool occupied areas, which significantly reduces wasted energy. That is essential to your business’s bottom line, especially when heating accounts for the biggest share of energy consumption in commercial buildings.
A U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) survey of commercial building energy use found that although each commercial building has unique energy needs, approximately 32 percent of energy used in all U.S. commercial buildings was for space heating.
Smart thermostats can curtail wasted energy by programming temperature schedules for each zone. For example, you might heat the company lunch room an hour before noon and then dial its thermostat back until the following day. Meanwhile, you can tie the office heating schedule to employee work hours.
Happy Employees, Happy Customers: Comfortable employees are more satisfied with their work environment and tend to be more productive in their jobs. Eliminating hot and cold spots reduces complaints and boosts morale. At the same time, a comfortable commercial space also welcomes customers. Whether it’s a retail space, a medical office, or a restaurant, customers are more likely to stay longer in a comfortable environment.
Thermostat Battles: Zoning empowers employees or managers to control their immediate environment without affecting other zones, putting an end to disagreements over thermostat settings.
Remote Access: You can manage all thermostats from one app on your phone and make adjustments when you are off-site.
Data Insights: Smart thermostats track energy use and can help you identify opportunities for savings.
Equipment Lifespan: Your HVAC system experiences less wear when it operates efficiently. It doesn’t struggle to maintain a uniform temperature throughout your entire building. Ductwork dampers direct heated air to zones that need it, while your smart thermostats precisely control temperatures in each zone.
Are Smart Thermostats and Zoning Right for You?
Our commercial HVAC specialists can assess your building’s layout and heating needs, designing a customized zoning and smart thermostat solution that optimizes your comfort, reduces energy consumption, and provides you with unparalleled temperature control.
Smart thermostats and zoning are worth considering, particularly if you face these challenges:
- Consistently high heating bills
- Hot and cold spots
- Unoccupied or rarely used spaces
If you want more control over your HVAC system, ask Root’s about zoning and smart thermostats.
Upgrade Your Building’s Efficiency and Comfort
Whether you run a small office, manage a retail space, or operate a restaurant in Alpena, MI, Root’s Heating & Cooling can help you create a heating and cooling solution that suits your needs and budget, without sacrificing comfort. Call us at 989-871-2067 or request service online.
