HVAC Zoning Best Practice: Every Master Bedroom deserves a Thermostat

There are a lot of best practices, guidelines, rules, and other how-to’s when offering an HVAC zoning system to your customer. While all are needed to ensure design, installation, and basic operation are done correctly, there is one basic rule we at Arzel® like to tell people to keep in mind when thinking about zoning.

“Every master bedroom deserves a thermostat!”

That one declaration is a more powerful mantra than it first appears. Let’s consider a simple two-zone system. If you put one thermostat in the master bedroom and another in the most used room in the public part of the home, look what happens:

1. It is a simple starting point for a comfort conversation. Most consumers must be made aware that they can have more than one thermostat. The second point of control can be a startling revelation. When you offer a homeowner the ability to control their master bedroom, you open their eyes to customization they never expected. You bring them a new level of service unmatched by your competition. Now you can ensure comfort in at least two areas of their home.
2. Homeowners’ usage patterns make a case for zoning. When people are in the public spaces of their homes, it is unlikely that anyone is spending much time in the master bedroom, and if they are in the master bedroom, they are unlikely to be using the homes’ shared living spaces much longer. The homeowners’ usage patterns work for you in making a case for zoning. No one cares what the temperature is in rooms where no one is.
3. Simplifies the zoning system design. Splitting the home into two relatively equal halves makes the zoning layout a reasonably easy process. Unless there are some unusual ductwork issues with two relatively similar zones, you will not need a bypass to eliminate objectionable air noise. There isn’t a need for many extra controls or special equipment to make the system operate well and meet customer expectations.
4. Lead generation opportunities. Being comfortable when one sleeps is a well-researched and accepted “good thing.” Waking refreshed has been promoted by the mattress, bedding, and sleep-aid industries as the key to a great day. A yard sign that proclaims, “I am finally comfortable in my master bedroom,” gets a recognizable point across very effectively. Personal testimonials, especially in a neighborhood with similar home types, are a powerful endorsement for your company as one that offers innovative comfort solutions.
5. Great sales tool for your staff. Asking customers if they would like a thermostat in their master bedroom is an easy, non-pushy pitch for someone who may not be as comfortable in the sales role. It is an easy rule of thumb for technicians or new salespeople who might need help getting started offering zoning. There are questions and observations your staff can ask to pinpoint exactly what the customer needs. Once a homeowner sees the control opportunities available with a zoning system, the conversation becomes more about the customer’s needs instead of a sales pitch.

Since the fall of 2006, Arzel® has trained over a thousand HVAC contractors, distributors, and industry professionals with its Comfort College program. The class goes into a lot of detail on the zoning market and the proper design, installation, and other technical aspects of zoning. But the first takeaway we want students to remember most is that every master bedroom deserves a thermostat. Although simple, in practice, this mantra can be the key to developing a solid HVAC zoning business. Are you interested in learning about more best practices and guidelines? Learn the 5 Rules of Zoning and the basic application design process to help maximize the comfort of your customers in a webinar – Click HERE to schedule yours today!