By Anne Fonda
An HVAC damper is a small valve or metal plate that regulates the airflow inside a building’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Specifically, mechanical dampers are located within your ductwork, most commonly in the main HVAC trunk line right before junction points with smaller supply ducts.
Our motorized dampers work by opening or closing incrementally to control airflow through the heating and cooling ducts that push conditioned air into different areas of your home. This helps you maintain comfortable temperatures throughout your home and conserve energy at the same time.
HVAC dampers are an integral part of a zoned HVAC system, which divides up areas of your home into smaller zones. By adjusting the temperature settings on the HVAC zoning controllers, smart thermostat, or Trane Home App, the system tells the HVAC zone dampers to adjust to restrict or increase airflow to certain zones. This helps keep each zone at a comfortable temperature without having to run the HVAC system for longer than necessary.
Common zones are upstairs and downstairs, but you might also want a zoned system in an exceptionally large or spread-out home to help ensure you are directing the conditioned air to the areas where people currently are, rather than empty rooms.
The primary benefit of using an HVAC zoning system with dampers is that it helps reduce energy consumption by allowing you to restrict airflow in certain parts of your home where it isn’t needed. By regulating the flow of air, you can better maintain desired temperatures and reduce the amount of energy used throughout your home. This can lead to decreased energy bills.
Additionally, by zoning off certain areas, you can also create more comfortable living spaces. An HVAC zoning system with dampers can help eliminate the problem of a hot upstairs and cold downstairs, for example.
The most cost-effective time to install HVAC dampers is when your ductwork is installed. However, it is possible to retrofit your existing heating and air conditioning ductwork with dampers if you opt for a high-efficiency variable-speed system.
The Trane Link Zoning system allows you to have up to six zones. Your HVAC contractor can help you decide how best to define the zones. Motorized modulating dampers can be installed within your new or existing ductwork to redirect conditioned air to where it’s needed, offering precise temperature and humidity control.
Anne Fonda, Content Writer
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.
When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
Expert review by Kimberly Sexton, Senior Systems Engineer
Zoning systems split your home into various areas, or zones, each controlled by their own thermostat so that they can be heated or cooled separately, depending on your temperature needs.
Learn what a smart thermostat is, what it can do, and why Trane smart thermostats are several steps above ordinary Wi-Fi thermostats.
Residential HVAC system controls monitor and adjust the components in your HVAC system to optimize temperature and humidity in your home.
Dealers can answer questions, help you find the right products for your home, and repair your system.
Connect with our Customer Care team about your products, warranties, and dealer concerns.
Available Monday – Friday from 7am to 5pm CST
A phone