Zoned cooling systems are becoming more popular in modern homes. A zoned system allows you to have greater control over the amount of cool air generated by your air conditioning system. You can opt to cool the rooms that you use most often, and avoid wasting the energy required to cool rooms that see little use.

As much benefit as a zoned cooling system can provide, these systems are not without their flaws. Some common problems can develop within a zoned system, and you need to be prepared to invest in immediate repairs to avoid permanent damage to your home's cooling system.

1. Malfunctioning Thermostat

The thermostat plays an important role in helping to regulate the function of a zoned cooling system. Multiple thermostats are installed so that each zone can be controlled individually. With more thermostats in your home, the potential for a thermostat malfunction increases.

An experienced HVAC technician can troubleshoot your thermostat to determine if dirty contact points, dead batteries, or improper settings are at the root of your thermostat problems. If the thermostat is deemed to be faulty, a new one can be installed to preserve the efficiency of your zoned cooling system.

2. Damaged Dampers

A zoned system is equipped with dampers that are located inside your home's air ducts. The dampers open and close in response to thermostat settings and are the components responsible for physically regulating airflow.

Dampers have moving parts that can get stuck or deteriorate over time. You will need to call an HVAC repair specialist to clean and lubricate your dampers regularly since dampers can be difficult to access without specialized knowledge and tools.

3. Broken Control Panel

The control panel lies at the center of a residential zoned cooling system. You could label the control panel as the brains of the operation. Instead of having to manually adjust each of the thermostats controlling the individual zones in your home, you can program all the thermostats simultaneously using the control panel.

If something goes wrong with the control panel, your entire cooling system will be affected. Call a repair technician if you can't get your control panel to turn on or respond to your touch. Never attempt to repair the control panel yourself. This could result in serious and permanent damage that will require costly equipment replacement to remedy.

Be prepared to repair some common problems that plague zoned cooling systems so that you can take advantage of the reduced energy usage and costs zoned cooling can offer. For more information, reach out to local air conditioning repair services.