No easy way to Zone a heating system

Q. Where can I learn how much oil consumption would decline if I zoned the hot-water heater pipes in my house, installed additional thermostats, and reduced the temperature in infrequently used rooms? Rodman A Savoye New Canaan, Conn.

A. Such a question and answer are far over this little old builderhs head. It calls for a technical background, plus an on-the-spot awareness of the variables which apply specifically to your house.

Short of finding a local engineer to make such an evaluation on the spot, I suggest you drop a line to the consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colo. 81009, and ask for a copy of the bulletin entitled "How to improve the Efficiency of Your Oil-Fired Furnace." The number of the publication is 605G.

Sorry we can't be more specific, but we would rather be right than otherwise.