In the sweltering heat of summer, Americans love knowing they can hit the “down” arrow on their thermostats and enjoy cool air coming out of their air conditioning vents. But what if you hit that button and nothing happened?

Intense heat in much of the country has many homeowners turning over the reins to their electric utility, many of which promise lower rates if you let them turn off your A/C on extreme temperature days. But some homeowners dislike the idea of giving up control of their home’s air conditioning.

What if you could control your own cooling system – and still save money and energy?

You can with zoning, say the experts at ZONEFIRST, Inc., a leading manufacturer of HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) zoning products.

“Installing a zoning system lets you automatically direct cooled air only to the rooms that need it,” says Richard Foster, ZONEFIRST president. “So instead of cooling the entire house, you cool only the rooms you’re currently using.” You have a light switch for every room, says Foster – why not a thermostat?

Your HVAC contractor installs motorized dampers in the ducts to each room or zone of the house. Like turning on the light switch in a room you’re using, thermostats open and close the various dampers to control the temperature in each room or zone.

While zoning may sound like an expensive option to some, the improved comfort zoning provides – solving the problem of some rooms being too hot while others are too cold – along with the energy savings that can be achieved, make zoning a smart home improvement. In fact, says Foster, zoning pays for itself in energy savings.

Studies have shown that shutting off those unused rooms with a zone damper system can save up to 25% on a home’s utility bills, says Foster. “Putting the cooling (or heating) where it’s needed, when it’s needed, increases comfort and saves energy.”

For a ZONEFIRST contractor near you, email info@zonefirst.com or call 1.877.FIRSTZONE (367-7896). For more information on zoning, visit the company’s website: www.zonefirst.com.

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You’re in luck. It’s now possible to add zoning to an existing home. And not only is it affordable… it helps you save up to 25% on your energy bills!

Learn more about this eco-friendly home improvement by watching our new video:

How to Save Energy, Get Comfortable

By Adding HVAC Zoning

Elmwood Park, NJ, November 4, 2010 – After months of crushing real estate news, frustrated would-be home sellers may soon be blowing off steam by swinging a hammer.

With fewer houses being sold, homeowners are staying put – and making the most of what they have. Remodeling spending is expected to see double-digit growth in 2011, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity, released last week by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

Particularly popular in a stressed economy are green home improvement projects that increase energy savings, as well as homeowners’ satisfaction in their homes.

“Zoning your heating and cooling is a smart, green home improvement that helps you get comfortable in every room of your home, and save up to 25% on your energy bills,” says Richard Foster, president of ZONEFIRST, Inc. “Plus, a house with zoned heating and cooling is more attractive to home buyers when you’re looking to sell down the road.”

ZONEFIRST has introduced a new video that shows homeowners just how easy it is to add zoning to an existing home.

“The perfect time to consider zoning is when you’re remodeling,” says Foster. “Often builders and remodelers are quick to add more heating and cooling equipment, which is costly – and not very eco-friendly. Instead, zoning helps you use your existing equipment to heat or cool the renovated space.”

For a ZONEFIRST contractor near you, email info@zonefirst.com or call 1.877.604.1044 (U.S. only). For more information on zoning, visit www.zonefirst.com.

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ZONEFIRST Retro Round Zone Dampers save time and labor with Plug & Play wiring.

Elmwood Park, NJ, June 7, 2010 – They may not grace the pages of a home decorating magazine, but “invisible” home improvement projects that save energy and money in a down economy – such as adding zoning to a home’s HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system – are gaining momentum, say industry sources.

HVAC zoning systems allow homeowners to direct the heated or cooled air only to rooms that need it, rather than the whole house. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates zoning, when used in conjunction with a programmable thermostat, can save up to 30% on home energy bills – potentially substantial savings, since a home’s HVAC system makes up half of its energy usage, according to the U.S. EPA.

“The great news about zoning is that it not only saves energy – it allows you to feel comfortable in every room of your home,” says Richard Foster, president of ZONEFIRST, a leading manufacturer of zoning products. “So you can say goodbye to that stuffy upper level, or the freezing cold basement you plan to remodel.”

Foster points out that zoning is now possible even in existing homes, thanks to advances in wireless technology. “Wireless thermostats and ZONEFIRST’s new Plug & Play retrofit dampers allow you to easily and affordably add zoning to almost any existing home,” says Foster.

Indoor comfort industry leaders expect to see zoning sales in existing homes continue to climb, a trend reported recently by The Air Conditioning | Heating | Refrigeration NEWS (May 17, 2010).

Home improvement spending is also expected to grow five percent this year, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have also reported on this trend.

Prices for zone systems vary, and depend on a home’s size, and how many zones the home requires. For a ZONEFIRST contractor near you, email info@zonefirst.com or call 1.877.604.1044 (U.S. only).

For over half a century, ZONEFIRST has been the industry leader in zoning. Starting with the development of the first zoning dampers and registers in the 1950s — and today, with exclusive “plug & play” dampers — ZONEFIRST has led the way in excellence and continued innovation. For more information, visit www.zonefirst.com.

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Henderson, NV – When it comes to shopping for corporate holiday gifts this year, successful business managers can finally kick those trite pen-and-paperweight catalogs to the curb.

Instead, employers now have a more meaningful way to show appreciation for their direct reports. Copies of author/speaker Debra Snider’s career-themed novel, A Merger of Equals, are being offered at special holiday prices, including free shipping.

Set in the business world, the book – hailed as a “can’t-put-it-down story” that’s “densely packed with practical, valuable business advice” – follows the careers and lives of two characters, Jane and Charlie, who are determined to succeed. Surrounded by friends and colleagues, some of whom ease the climb and some of whom decidedly do not, Jane and Charlie defy the constrictions of the status quo to create a new model of professional and personal success. A Merger of Equals tackles universal professional concerns, such as work-life balance and gender issues in the workplace, as it tells its fun, fast-paced and ultimately inspiring story.

Snider’s holiday discounts, below, make A Merger of Equals a gift that’s not only relevant to the career-minded, but cheap.

•    Buy 1 copy for $14.50 (9% off the retail price of $15.95)
•    Buy 5 copies for $65.00 (18% discount)
•    Buy 10 copies for $110.00 (31% discount)

Orders placed on or before December 18, 2009, qualify for the special pricing and free shipping offer. Orders must be placed through the author’s website: www.debrasnider.com.

About A Merger of Equals

A Merger of Equals is a captivating, incisive story set against the backdrop of the business world. It’s told in the first person by its two main characters: Jane is ambitious, brilliant and sure she’s going to meet resistance at every turn; Charlie is successful, hardwired with the rules of the game and determined to make a difference. They meet in a mentoring program at a big-time investment bank. Over the next 10 years, first as colleagues, then as friends, then as partners, Jane and Charlie propel each other up the corporate ladder, learning along the way that quite a few so-called truths about work, life and love are not even close to true and that half a life is no life at all.

The novel has been called “one of the most enlightening and true works of fiction about corporate life and love” and “a stunning, can’t-talk-to-you-now-honey-I’m-reading, book.” People who work in the business world will appreciate its astute insider feel; everyone will appreciate its understanding of human relationships, both personal and professional, its perceptive take on gender issues in the workplace, and its inspiring outlook. From its provocative opening sentence to its touching final pages, A Merger of Equals is an intelligent, insightful story for readers who want a fun, thought-provoking and ultimately stirring read.

About Debra Snider

Debra Snider is a Nevada-based author and speaker. A married mother of two grown children, Snider enjoyed a successful 20-year legal and business career in her native Chicago. She is also the author of Working Easier: A Toolkit for Staff and Board Members of Nonprofit Arts Organizations (Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation, 2005) and The Productive Culture Blueprint For Corporate Law Departments and Their Outside Counsel (American Bar Association Career Resource Center, 2003), as well as numerous articles and essays.

Snider has been a featured speaker in the United States and Europe on topics including strategic productivity, client development, change facilitation, leadership, law department management, time management, and success strategies for professional and business women. She has also consulted on these topics for corporate, legal services and nonprofit clients.

Snider is the featured expert on law, productivity and work-life balance for the “Ask Debra” Q&A on The Corporate Legal Standard, Inc. website, and a double contributor to Heart of a Woman in Business (Sparkle Press, 2008). For more information on her books and her background, please visit her website.

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