Frequently Asked Questions
What is zoning with valves?
Imagine a common hot water boiler heating system which delivers hot water to baseboards, radiators or PEX pipe (radiant floor heating) where heat from water is transferred to multiple rooms, making them comfortable, livable and workable. Once cooled, the water returns to the boiler for re-heating and the process repeats. A single circulator pump (often called "boiler circulator") is responsible for moving the hot water in a closed loop and either engages when system "calls for heat" or turns off when the desired temperature is reached or heat is not longer needed.
Since all rooms/areas are used in a different manner (bedrooms during the night time, bathrooms in the morning and evening, offices during the day, etc.), the temperature inside each one is controlled via a thermostat. Most thermostat models, both old and new, allow for programming different ambient temperatures throughout the day, on different weekdays and may even allow for remote temperature management.
This flexibility in temperature control is made possible by dividing the hot boiler water flow (for example, by using a using a
steel or
copper boiler manifold) in a manner where each room has its' own supply and return piping. The flow through each zone/branch/loop is controlled via a
zone valve, which is commonly installed on the supply side of each branch (loop) and either opens or closes to regulate hot water flow.
This combination of a single main boiler circulator pump and multiple thermostats & zone valves (one for each room) is called
"zoning with valves".
What is the purpose of a zone valve control module?
It's primary purpose is to simplify the wiring & communication between thermostats, zone valves and boiler circulator. In layman's terms, it waits for a signal for heat from the thermostat and tells the boiler, pump and zone valve when to start/open and when to stop/close.
Zone valve control module acts as a hub where all the wires are connected and neatly organized. It also provides visual diagnostics via LED indicators, allowing to easily diagnose and address any issues.
Can a system be zoned without a zone valve controller?
Yes, but it makes the wiring much more complex and any diagnostics even harder. Keep in mind that the zone valves and most thermostats need a 24V power supply and a proper size transformer would be needed for this purpose.
Are zones controls universally compatible with thermostats, circulators, boilers, etc.?
Yes, they are compatible with any 24V heating thermostat (Honeywell/Resideo, White Rodgers, etc.), any 2, 3 or 4-wire 24V zone valve (Taco, Erie, Honeywell, Caleffi, etc.), any 110-120V circulator pump (Grundfos, Taco, Armstrong, B&G, Wilo, etc.) and any boiler brand commonly found in the U.S.
What if a system is larger than 6 zones?
Look up the name of any zone control panel we carry to identify whether it is expandable. Expandable panels can me inter-linked (daisy-chained) together to control systems with 6+ zones, as long as they are of the same brand. For example, Taco ZVC406-EXP can be used with ZVC404-EXP to control up to 10 zones. Similarly, Tekmar 304V can be linked to 303V to control up to 7 zones.
