So, you have seen the term deadband in HVAC everywhere but have no idea what is it, right? No worry. This in-depth article will give teach you why deadband is needed in HVAC.
What is deadband in HVAC? What’s its role? How does it work? Why is it needed? We will answer all your questions in this article so keep reading.
What is a deadband in HVAC
A deadband is a range of temperature in which the HVAC system neither does cooling nor heating.
We know that the HVAC systems have 2 functions. They can cool our house in summer and warm it in winters.
But sometimes, we have to deal with varying temperatures on the same day, such as during spring. You may need cooling for a few hours and then you may need heating for a few hours.
In such a case, cycling the HVAC system on & off can put a lot of mechanical stress on the system & lead to more wear and tear and damage. Moreover, it will also consume more energy and raise your utility bills.
This is where a Deadband helps a lot. It prevents the thermostat of your HVAC system from activating the cooling & heating in rapid succession. It saves you a lot of energy & also helps precisely control the temperature of the room.
What is a deadband on a thermostat
Are you wondering what is a deadband on the thermostat and why is it needed?
Well, we will make it easier for you to understand, so here’s the thing:
You know that we can program the thermostat of our HVAC system and tell it when it has to do cooling & heating, right?
We can set a temperature value and the thermostat will only start heating when the temperature falls below that set temperature.
Similarly, we can set another temperature value and the thermostat will only start cooling when the temperature rises above that preset value.
But sometimes, we have different weather when the temperature is constantly fluctuating between the cooling & heating temperature. As a result, the HVAC system may start cooling & heating in rapid succession.
It will mess up the environment in your room, also consume more energy, and raise your bills. Plus, the too frequent change of cycles will put mechanical stress on the HVAC unit and it can increase the risk of wear and tear and damage.
A deadband stops the thermostat on your HVAC unit from cooling and heating the room in rapid succession. This way you can save more energy and also prevent wear & tear of the HVAC unit.
Deadband between heating and cooling
Deadband is a range of temperature in which the HVAC system neither does heating nor cooling.
Here we will make it easy for you to understand how deadband ensures that the heating and cooling does not happen simultaneously:
Let’s suppose the range of deadband is 4 degrees and the temperature you have set is 70 degrees.
So now in summer, your air conditioner (HVAC) unit will switch off at the set temperature. It will not switch on again until the temperature reaches 72 degrees.
Similarly in winter, it will switch off at 70 and won’t switch on again until the temperature drops to 68 degrees.
This working mechanism guarantees that the cooling & heating functions of the HVAC systems do not work simultaneously.
Does Deadband operate manually or auto in HVAC
Deadband is a modern invention so it is only found on auto thermostats.
You will not find any Deadband on the old manual thermostats or even those electromechanical thermostats.
Deadbands are only found in modern and digital thermostats that are automatic.
Does a longer Deadband save more energy
Yes, longer deadbands save more energy.
The reason is that if your Deadband is longer then it means that its range will be longer as well like 10 degrees.
As a result, your HVAC system will stay switched off for a long time. So, what happens next?
When your HVAC system will stay off for longer, then it will consume less energy and your utility bills will go down.
The drawback of longer deadband
Although a longer Deadband saves more energy, it also has a drawback.
Longer deadbands will keep your system switched off for a longer time.
It can be very unpleasant for old people or those who need the system running all the time.
Thus, you need to keep that in mind.
Shorter deadband in HVAC
A shorterDeadbandhas a small range of temperature.
Thus, it will keep your system switched off for a short time only.
Shorter deadbands offer more effective temperature control in the room.
Short vs long Deadband – Which one is better
Are you confused whether a shorter Deadband is better or a longer deadband?
Well, the thing is that both of them have their pros and cons.
A longer Deadband is more economical as it saves more energy. But at the same time, it can be unpleasant for some people as it keeps the system switched off for a long time.
On the other hand,
A shorter deadband may not be as much economical as a longer deadband, but it will provide much better temperature control.
Therefore, the choice is yours now. You can analyze which of the pros & cons are better for you and then you can make a perfect decision.
Can you change the range of the deadband
Well, the range of most of the deadbands is set by default by the manufacturers.
Changing the range of deadbands is not easy but it is still possible.
Adjusting the range according to your local temperature can be very beneficial. It will help you get much better temperature control and also save more energy.
How to change the range of the deadband?
If you want to change the range of your deadband then the best way to do so is by following the instructions given in the user manual.
There you will find step-by-step instructions for adjusting the range of your model of deadband. Thus, you are recommended to follow the instructions of your user manual.
