New Technology in Room by Room Comfort

Do you have rooms that are too hot or too cold?

Trying to keep a relatively comfortable temperature in a house can be quite the daunting task. While technology keeps getting better in heating and air systems - better freon, environmentally friendly exhaust, more efficient and quieter fans...try as we might, some homes still experience less than mandatory home temperatures. Most of this is due to the side of the house the sun hits, the level of in-home insulation and the floor plan. What's a poor homeowner to do?

Well first of all. Let's remember that there may be many different reasons for irregular cooling or heating within the home.

• If you have rooms that are markedly cooler (or warmer depending on the season) this can be a symptom telling you that your heating and cooling system needs to be replaced.
• If there are rooms that are getting no air from the vents in them, then this may be a duct work problem. Something may have 'chewed through the ducting (it happens, really gross, but it happens), or a duct may have come unsealed or any number of other things. In this case, you should call your HVAC contractor to inspect the duct work.

Okay, caveats aside: This new technology is pretty cool. A company called "Home Comfort Zones" has devised a system in which thermostats are placed in each room of the home. Balloon-like "things" (for lack of a better word) are then placed at junctions in the duct work leading to specific rooms. According to the temperature readings from the wireless thermostats in each room - the balloons either inflate (or deflate) to allow the optimum amount of hot or cool air into the room. Pretty neat idea...and with no effort from the homeowner? No shutting ducts (which becomes loud), no opening back windows in the hopes of a cross breeze...no work? Hmm. Now this is technology to watch and possibly consider for your next upgrade. Also check out their product on Popular Science's list of the best products of 2008 here.