I turned on my Furnace
- Thread starter daveamkrayoguy
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phillymatt53
Well-known member
Luckily, my home furnace is a hydronic system - hot water to the radiators in the house.
The Crown boiler was installed in 2002 a few years before I moved in, and has been great.
The only barely noticable sound from it when running is the Taco circulation pump.
No filters to worry about.
vacerator
Well-known member
Good to start it to test before you really need heat. I change or vacuum the 20x16x5" filter and inside the compartments and blower spring and fall. I oil the air intake inducer motor shaft with light oil, and pour a cup of Vinegar and water down the condensate drain. Keep spare batteries on hand for the thermostat.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Yes it's always good to confirm proper operation beforehand.
Usually in mid October I'll check and bleed the radiators in to bleed any air out, then give the system a test run.
I also put fresh AA batteries in the thermostat as part of the procedure.
On occasion, I'll pull the burner access panel off and vacuum any dust accumulation - but I rarely see anything down there.
Never any problems so far.
I've not turned on any heat, but it's been getting down to the upper 40s to low 50s at night for the last 10 days or so. I was kind of cold a couple nights, so washed my thermal long underwear, and started wearing it. My blanket needs washed, and I've not wanted to take it to the washateria yet.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
vacerator
Well-known member
Like a Gaseteria, or a Laundromat.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Oh!
Where do you live, Anchorage??? (I live in Phoenix, we're still 3 months away from needing heat for part of 3 weeks... it's still over 100 most days!)
Luckily, my home furnace is a hydronic system - hot water to the radiators in the house.
The Crown boiler was installed in 2002 a few years before I moved in, and has been great.
The only barely noticable sound from it when running is the Taco circulation pump.
No filters to worry about.
If you really wanted to go hi-tech:
https://www.watts.com/our-story/bra...utdoor-temperature-reset-controls-save-energy
https://www.heat-timer.com/ht_products/hwr-hot-water/
You must be a Yankee! It's a name for coin laundry, used mainly in the deep south. My mom always called it that, as she was from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.washateria?
Waz dat?
Well somehow it gets cold here in Michigan and then warm, then it cools off again…
I usually always jog between my heat and A/C so time to get used to doing that again…
— Dave
I heard there were snow
flurries in the northern part of the state, and lots of areas with frost.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Nah, I'm good to go with my system.
I use a newer Honeywell programmable thermostat to tigger the heat, and my gas bills are not too bad in winter.
Last week there were a couple of chilly mornings and the first one I turned on our mini split to heat mode which took care of it in about 15 minutes then off. The next morning I come downstairs and it was very warm.. the other half had turned on the boiler which I hadn't wanted to do before performing a check.. This will be our 3rd winter with this new Navien tankless boiler and so far so good athough it will never last the 65 years the original did.
In regards to furnace filters, they all are 1 month filters regardless of the MERV or FPR rating. There’s claims they can last up to 90 days, but that’s if you don’t use your furnace or air conditioning very often, or is in that transition period where you don’t need heating or air conditioning.
Unfortunately, my folks fell for the 90 day/once a season claim, ended up ruining the HVAC system since the wires were burned up from excessive amperage at the compressor (from outrageously high head pressures) back in 2022, ended up getting a new system back in 2023. The HVAC installers mentioned that the filters are supposed to be changed on a monthly basis regardless, or else it will have to be replaced in 10 years time which is no bueno.
Been diligent changing the filters out on a monthly basis, sometimes every couple of weeks since the air conditioning has essentially been running nonstop in the 100+ degree weather over the past month. Usually buy a 3 pack of filters at Home Depot which are the FPR 5/MERV 8 filters.
Unfortunately, my folks fell for the 90 day/once a season claim, ended up ruining the HVAC system since the wires were burned up from excessive amperage at the compressor (from outrageously high head pressures) back in 2022, ended up getting a new system back in 2023. The HVAC installers mentioned that the filters are supposed to be changed on a monthly basis regardless, or else it will have to be replaced in 10 years time which is no bueno.
Been diligent changing the filters out on a monthly basis, sometimes every couple of weeks since the air conditioning has essentially been running nonstop in the 100+ degree weather over the past month. Usually buy a 3 pack of filters at Home Depot which are the FPR 5/MERV 8 filters.
I'm with you Dave. I'm in northern Michigan. It was in upper 90's until last weekend. It hasn't gone over 55 or so (45 at night) since last Wednesday. I turned on my heat yesterday because it was 63 in the house, and my wife was complaining.
Good news is it's back in the 60's tomorrow, and will be back to 80 by the end of the week. I like a cool house (air at 68-69), and haven't had to turn the heat on in September in years...usually mid October.
Right now its 58 outside and rain seems to have stopped. I will not turn my boiler for heat until after I get my oil delivery next month and then the thermostat is on 63. If layering clothing isnt working, I will use my propane Hearthstone that heats my main living space fine.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Jog, eh?
Well, I just sit my butt on the sofa, no "jogging" for me!
My heat triggers on at the (wintertime) temp I have it set to, and stays within one degree of that.
In the spring/summertime, I got the handy remote control on the coffee table to kick on the AC in the dining room wall.
So yes, my hiney stays on the sofa.
Inside your house is 70 and you turned on the furnace?
The inside of my house has been low to mid 60s and I finally closed the bedroom windows.
The inside of my house has been low to mid 60s and I finally closed the bedroom windows.
I was cold again this morning, and came close to turning the heat on. I probably should try it before it gets really cold to make sure it's working right.
Well, I did it. I woke up cold about 7:30 this morning, and thought now's as good a time as any to turn it on. Works fine.
My furnace is a heat pump so the majority of its mechanism also runs through the summer. It changes modes per the Auto cool/heat setpoints.
Signed: Goofy Glenn
Signed: Goofy Glenn
Hi Sean, post number 18 clogged indoor air filters will cause the amp draw to go down on the compressor. They will not hurt the compressor, a clogged outdoor condenser would cause head pressures to go up and increase the load on the compressor, but all compressors are protected from overload, so it’s not likely the filters had anything to do with it.
If you really care, you can put a differential gauge on both sides of the filter and you can tell how much the air is getting restricted and just change the filter accordingly, of course the dirtier the filter the better filters, but there is a point where you have to change it allowing enough air movement for efficient operation.
In all of my for air heating and cooling systems I use a thick 4 inch pleated filter, followed by an electrostatic filter to get the ultrafine dirt out of the airstream. This is especially nice both at home and at work.
The 4 inch pleated filters only need changing every year or so a little more often at work the electrostatic filters get washed about twice a year.
At home, I run the blower 24 hours a day except during the cooling season, which would increase the humidity by leaving the fan on when the compressor shuts off.
John L
If you really care, you can put a differential gauge on both sides of the filter and you can tell how much the air is getting restricted and just change the filter accordingly, of course the dirtier the filter the better filters, but there is a point where you have to change it allowing enough air movement for efficient operation.
In all of my for air heating and cooling systems I use a thick 4 inch pleated filter, followed by an electrostatic filter to get the ultrafine dirt out of the airstream. This is especially nice both at home and at work.
The 4 inch pleated filters only need changing every year or so a little more often at work the electrostatic filters get washed about twice a year.
At home, I run the blower 24 hours a day except during the cooling season, which would increase the humidity by leaving the fan on when the compressor shuts off.
John L
I have an el-cheapo 1" filter in each of the 20x25 returns. A 4" filter in the attic blower-coil. My thermostat has two programmable reminders for filter change, choices of calendar days or run-time days. I have both set for 45 days of run-time (which ends up being 7 to 8 months of calendar time). The cycles are different being that the 5" filter module was added a while after system installation. 45 days is a bit short but the next choice of 60 days is too long so I ignore the reminders for a few weeks.
Signed: Goofy Glenn
Signed: Goofy Glenn
I miss my old electronic filter with the snap crackle and pops. Think it was a Sears version of a Honeywell.
I've got a variable speed blower and ran it 24/7 on lowest speed, house was totally comfortable, but it did add to electric bill. My smart thermostat has a circulation feature, circulates the air for a few minutes 4 or 5 times an hour ---80% as good and a good bit cheaper, good trade off for me.
I've got a variable speed blower and ran it 24/7 on lowest speed, house was totally comfortable, but it did add to electric bill. My smart thermostat has a circulation feature, circulates the air for a few minutes 4 or 5 times an hour ---80% as good and a good bit cheaper, good trade off for me.
My thermostat has a Circulate option for the fan which runs it 35% of the time, presumably inclusive of heating/cooling operation. I tried it for a while but it has an impact from the humidity angle which is majority of the usage time so I stopped running it.
My mother has a Lennox iComfort S30 with a circulate/allergy function which adjusts from 9 mins to 27 mins per hour in 36-second steps, also disabled for the same reason. It advises to use a MERV 11 or higher filter.
Signed: Goofy Glenn
Indeed, you never want to run the fan when you’re in the air conditioning season when the compressor is not running, the evaporator coil can hold more than 2 quarts of water on its surface so every time the compressor shuts off that water is just evaporated back into the house increasing humidity and raising the discomfort level as well as raising electric cost because you have to pay to recon that water again and again.
John L
John L
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