With multiple family members in one home, it was necessary to get HVAC zone control.
For a few years my family and I relied on one central HVAC unit.
It was constantly a fight controlling the thermostat. I wanted AC in the kitchen while I cooked. My husband demanded heating for when he was in his office. My kids could never agree on a thermostat setting in the playroom. Finally I decided enough is enough. The central HVAC system died and I replaced it with a ductless multi split system. I have two outdoor air compressors and multiple indoor air handlers. Every room of the house has an air handler and a thermostat. That means each room of the house can be set to a specific temperature without affecting the other one. I can have cooling while I cook at the same time my husband has the heater on in the office. The kids are willing to give a little bit now. They compromise on living room and playroom temperatures since they each have a bedroom with the right amount of HVAC. Zone control is not only great for keeping the peace, but it is quite energy efficient. Unused rooms now don’t get any HVAC. In the summer my husband doesn’t even want AC. It seems like the HVAC equipment hardly needs to work anymore. Since the workload is not as rough, there are less repairs and tune ups required on the system. I have even noticed that without ductwork anymore, the air quality even feels fresher. Zone control might be the best thing that has happened to us.