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Heat all the time!!

Hoping someone will have some insight into my problem. I have an oil burner and radiant heaters. My problem is that with the thermostat turned down or off the heaters are still giving off heat. The circulator is NOT on but hot water is somehow still circulating through the pipes. The burner is not going on in conjunction with the heat either - it just goes on for hot water, but it''s still heating the water going through the radiators often enough to turn my house into a sauna. Don't know if it matters, but immediately after my circulator the pipe splits into two - I tried closing each individually and that stops the associated radiators from getting hot, but I obviously have to shut both valves to turn off all the radiators. Could this be as simple as a bad circulator? I replaced it 2 or 3 years ago, so it is not very old. Thanks in advance for any help on this situation.

Comments

  • CMadatMe
    CMadatMe Member Posts: 3,086
    Limited Information

    But sounds like your getting migration which says, no check valve.
    "The bitter taste of a poor installation remains much longer than the sweet taste of the lowest price."
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    The power of gravity?

    I'm very curious what size the piping is on this.  Gravity hot water systems have always fascinated me with their simplicity and longevity.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,561
    post a picture

    post a picture of your boiler piping
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Wowarning
    Wowarning Member Posts: 2
    finally a pic

    Good gravy it took me a while to take a picture of the piping, but here it is.  From what I gather I don't think I have a check valve.  Does the circulator normally stop this type of flow?  Sorry so ignorant on this.  If I had a check valve installed is that an expensive solution, or might I be better off replacing the circulator again (if it in fact should keep this from happening if functioning properly)?  Thanks in advance for my education.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,561
    Tankless coil

    It looks like you have a tankless coil for domestic water. Your boiler is always hot. I agree with Chris that it is likely gravity heat migration. A check valve would resolve this.

    I would also be sure that the circulator not operating.

    On a side note it looks like your boiler flue is corroding and leaving debris on top of the boiler. What temperature is your boiler running at?

    Carl
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
This discussion has been closed.