Thermostat won't keep temp.

[Dsbride]

Let me add more details. This is a hot water boiler with radiators. The boiler has 2 circulators and a hot water heater connected to it. One circulator (A) is to a single added on room, circulator (B) is to the rest of the ranch style house, and then the water heater stands alone. We get plenty of hot water and A room is right on the button. It is B that we have a problem with. The thermostat is set on 80 because any lower and we get heat in the 50's. The serviceman came and pushed the boiler up to 185 degrees, as high as it would go. This gave us hotter water and very good heat in A but did nothing for B. We then had a new thermostat put in, still no change. The pipes have been bled, no change. That's when I got the comment about the furniture blocking the radiator but when I moved some furniture still no change. The temps have been unusually cold here in CT but still a brand new system should keep us warm.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Steam was used in larger buildings, three or more story residences. Very few houses have it, but some do. He also said furnace, but with radiators, it has to be a boiler.

The water temperature in new units can vary. We have a 400,000 BTU gas fired boiler for heating some of our offices at work. The old boiler would cycle on and off. The water was about 180. It would come on and of course give a good amount of heat. Then it would go off for a while and I'd get a cold draft from the window behind my chair. In 10 or 15 minutes, it would come back on, I'd hear the hot water as the tubing expanded. I'd feel good for 10 minutes, then the heat goes off and get a chilly back. Repeat all day long.

With the high efficiency unit, it adjusts the water temperature. Never paid much attention, but 120 to 140 I've seen. The water circulates longer at a lower temperature and I never feel the cold draft. Makes for a much better setup, much more comfortable.

My 4 year old system at home also runs a bit cooler than my old boiler. It keeps everything evenly heated and is very quiet. This morning it was minus 10 and very comfy in the house. I set back to 63 at night, then 69 during the day.

That is possible. New burners, especially gas, can be very quiet. Circulating pumps can be silent also. You have to put your hand on some to tell if they are running.

Could be the OP's installer did not set the parametrs correctly, or a sensor is not in the right place.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi. Only one thermostat then? Is it located in B? Tried with shutting off water going to A room? Did you feel the radiator in A and B? Are they equally warm?

[Ralph Mowery]

What is the temperature of the wall/room where the thermostat is mounted ? Feel the radiators in the cold rooms. Are they so hot you can not touch them on both the inlet and outlet ? I would think that with two circulators there would be two thermostats so each zone would be controled.

If the radiators in the cold rooms are very hot, then they are not transferring enough heat to the room. If they are not very hot, then not enough hot water is getting to them. Do the radiators have any valves on then or in line somewhere that is not letting enough water get to them ? Are you sure your circulating pump is comming on in the cold rooms ? If not that would cause cold radiators. The cold radiators could be caused by the pump not actually working and circulating the water.

As mentioned, it should not mater where the thermostat is set as long as it is several degrees higher than the temperature at the thermostat.

[Ed Pawlowski]

My first thing to check is the circulating pump for B. It may be either not working, a restriction in the line, or too small a size.

A quick test is to feel the lines. Since A is getting heated properly, feel both the outgoing and return lines. Knowing how they feel, check the B lines. The pipe going out should be just as hot as the A pipe. Move your hand along and if you get a bit temperature drop, you know it is not working properly.

I still think the service tech is incompetent and is missing a simple solution.

[micky]

To learn something.

I think the odds are high that he's the one who sent the serviceman once already. The installer needs help.

Who said "things"? I said thermostat.

Do you think setting the thermostat to 80, which has already been done, voids the warranty?

Setting the thermostat higher will not void the warranty, especailly since the house is still between 55 and 63. After all, if the thermostat has nothing to do with the problem, then setting it higher will do nothing more to turn the boiler on -- so not only the warranty won't be affected but neither will the boiler -- and the house will become no warmer.

OTOH, if the house does get warmer with the higher setting, that means the thermostat is part of the problem. That tends to clear the boiler, depending on details.

There is still a third possibility, that the thermostat is part of the problem but turning it higher doesn't increase the warmth of the house. That won't void the warranty either.

You're right about that.

[Tekkie®]

Oren posted for all of us...

The number would be a negative because he has probably alienated more than converted.