Multizone Heating.

Energy efficient property solutions….

Smart technology is helping domestic and commercial properties around the UK and Ireland become more energy efficient in all sorts of ways, and perhaps the most popular is heating. So, let’s look at how multizone heating works – and how it can help property owners/tenants save even more than just having a typical smart thermostat.

What is multizone heating?

Multizone heating lets you divide your property into different areas or zones, so you can control the temperature in each room/area individually. This means instead of heating the whole property, you can just warm up the parts being used.

Think of it like this: in a domestic property you might group a kitchen and sitting room together as one zone, all the bedrooms as a second and bathrooms as a third. That way, during the day when you might be in and out of the kitchen and living room you can keep them at a cosy temperature. But the heating in the bedrooms and bathrooms stay lower (or off entirely) while they’re not being used.

With multizone smart thermostats, you can stay comfortable without wasting energy (or money) heating rooms that aren’t being used.

How do multizone heating control systems work?

There are a couple of different ways to create zoned heating systems. If you have two thermostats in your property (say one upstairs and another downstairs, for example) then you can use multizone smart thermostats and control the heating for each area easily, all from your smartphone.

If you want even more control, you can use smart thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) on every radiator with a wet system to give you room-by-room control of your heating.

Multizone heating vs single zone heating: what are the benefits?

Both single and multizone heating systems have their advantages. It all depends on your property and how you want to heat it.

Single-zone systems are simple and reliable. With fewer parts, they’re often easier to maintain. Plus, they can be kinder for the environment – less equipment means lower energy use. And they even work really well in smaller properties or for households that like the same temperature throughout.

The drawback is that you have to heat your entire property, even if you’re not using all of it. Or go round every room turning individual radiators/heaters up and down all the time.

The best multizone heating control systems give you more flexibility so you can control your heating room by room. This can mean lower energy bills as you’re not wasting energy (and money) heating every part of your property.

They’re also easy to control with a centralised remote or individual room panels. Or with an app it’s even easier – it can all be done straight from your smartphone, tablet or even a smart speaker.

For a wet system you can also get smart radiator valves, which mean you can control every radiator individually – just with a quick tap of the app.

Ultimately that means less wasted heat, lower heating bills and a lighter load on the environment.

Does multizone heating work with underfloor heating?

Yes! Smart thermostats work with both wet underfloor heating systems and dry, also known as electric systems.

Adding underfloor heating is another way to create a multizone setup and it’s usually more energy efficient than traditional radiators. Instead of just warming the air, radiant floor heaters gently heat the room from the ground up, warming you and your surfaces. That means you feel cosy at a lower overall temperature, which can save energy, cut running costs, and even shrink your carbon footprint.

Electric underfloor heating kits are worth giving some thought to if you’re thinking of doing renovations. You can install them room by room, giving each area its own zone with a dedicated underfloor heating thermostat. That means your bathroom can be toasty in the morning, the kitchen warm for dinner prep, and unused rooms can stay cooler without wasting energy.

Does multizone heating make your property more energy efficient?

Yes, multizone heating can make a real difference to how energy efficient your property is to run.

And it can help tackle a much bigger issue too. All buildings contribute significantly to CO2 emissions. So, smart tech that can help you avoid wasting energy isn’t just good for your bills, it’s better for the planet as well.

With a zoned heating system, you can set different temperatures for different parts of your property. It means you’re only heating the rooms you actually use, instead of wasting energy warming up empty spaces. It also helps you avoid overheating areas that don’t need it, which saves energy and keeps costs down.

If you’ve got underfloor heating, you’ll feel an extra level of comfort too. And according to sources like the Energy Saving Trust, properties with underfloor heating can be up to 20-30% more energy efficient than just traditional central heating alone.

How do you install multizone heating?

If you want to create a multizone heating system using smart thermostats, we’d always recommend getting them professionally installed.

Here at Xigbee, we partner with expert engineers who can get you safely set up with a multizone system. They’ll advice you of the best place for each smart thermostat and run you through how to make the most of your new heating system.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to create multizone heating using smart radiator valves then doing it yourself should be a breeze. Just unscrew the existing head, replace it with a smart TRV download the relevant app and the app will guide you through how to get started.

What’s the best multizone smart thermostat?

Well, smart heating has come a long way over the last few years and there are lots of good multizone heating thermostats out there. And people do have their favourite thermostat brand….

So, if you’re looking for the best multizone smart thermostats to work with existing brands or to have a completely new system contact us to help. 

Another great thing about choosing to have a multizone system is it opens up a whole world of smart devices. For instance, you can start using things like motion sensors to turn your heating up automatically when you walk into a room. And that’s when the smart stuff gets even smarter. 

Energy savings.

Only heat the rooms you’re using, so you don’t waste energy on empty spaces.

Lower bills.

Using less energy should mean you see a drop in your heating bills.

Easy to control.

Adjust the temperature, set up schedules or turn the heating off entirely using an app on your smartphone, tablet or smart speaker.

Greener living.

Using energy more wisely helps lower our CO2 emissions.