Summer and the Burner

[Deleted User]

oil-fired commercial steamers, w/ tankless heaters, to pre-heat domestic water during the heating season. Most are used because the gas or oil fired water heaters are sized for 50* water from the street. We shut the boilers down during the summer.

If you shut the boiler down, be sure to turn off the valve(s) that allow water flow thru the tankless heaters. Cold water thru cold coils will cause condensation on the fireside of the boiler.

If you leave the boiler on, adding water to the top of the boiler, will prevent steaming on long water draws in the AM. Chances are the operating aquastat is in the coil plate. If so, that control has no idea what is happening in the other sections when the burner is running for hot water.

Jim_45

Turn off boiler in the Summer?

Should I turn my burner off during the Summer? I have a steam Weil-McLain with tankless heater coils. The tankless is just a supplement for our gas water heater. The gas water heater by itself usually gives us enough hot water. Of course with the tankless add-on, the burner comes on a few times during the day to keep the water boiler water at 140 degrees. I have heard conflicting advice about whether to keep it on. If it were not for the tankless coils, it would never come on during the Summer anyway, so I don't see a problem with turning it off. With the "greening" of America and the cost of oil, should I turn it off? Is there really that much benefit to keeping it on or is the the only benefit for my oil company?

Brad White_9

My take

Most of what I heard (not being an oil person myself) is that leaving it on is preferable unless the boiler is immaculately clean. Any sooting will absorb moisture, cake on there like cement and nibble a bit on the iron.... firing every so often dries that out. The oil folks I am sure can elaborate or correct me. JCA?? Lifeline here! I will always defer to them.

Besides, you are nor really shutting the burner off. It provides your hot water and is only off when it is not running Probably makes hot water more efficiently than the gas one. That raises the issue of shutting that off too- how do you prep that so biofilms do not form?

Personally in summer I cannot get enough hot water. Outdoor shower and all that...

Isn't that where it counts?

clammy

low limits

I have found by leaving most oil fired boilers warm they tend to condensate less in moist basement and keep cleaner also the pervention of moisture keep the chamber kit in better shape alot of times trhe moisture gets behing the target wall and looses it off plus when the boiler gets wet it makes the soot adhere to the section better and makes it in some cases very hard to get back in original condition and also lower the boilers eff and increase the stack temp .If it was my steam boilker i would leave the boiler on for the summer i doubt you will burn 30 gallons all summer peace and good luck clammy

Jim Davis_7

Turn it off!!

Maintaining temperature in a boiler in the summer in a big energy hog and never an efficient way to heat water. If your house has air conditioning this will increase the load on it. If your boiler has soot in it someone needs to tune it so that doesn't happen. If you have a damp basement you will have mold problems. Don't pay your oil company for bandaides, buy them at your local Pharmacy.

Weezbo

lots of people turn the boiler off april on september

pn the frozen land.

i try to time my purchases the day before the price goes up...i am military minded as it were i consider the 4th of March :spring: and the 5th of November(Guy Fawkes Day) the time you want to "Buy:.

Tom S.

Cold or 120* with an indirect?

I asked this before but am always looking for opinions...

I am potentially getting an indirect put on as a zone to replace the dhw coil in the boiler.

What do people think about letting the boiler go cold between cycles? Or is it better to put the low limit at 120* just to keep it warm since it's been at some high temp low limit for it's whole life (10 years)?

Thanks,

Tom

Leo

If it is an

If it is an older Weil Mclain (blue/grey color) they along with Peerless JOT's are the worst to leave cold. Whatever has stuck to the insides will come loose from moisture and plug. You will save some oil by shutting it off but may spend more in service to unplug it. My vote is keep it warm and I make nothing off the oil it will cost you.

Leo

Steamhead (in transit)

If I had your house

I'd ditch the gas heater and hook up an Aquabooster tank or an indirect tank to the boiler. That way the boiler could provide the hot faucet water, but wouldn't have to maintain a constant temperature. Plus you'd get more hot water for less fuel. If you have current or future teenagers, this would be a very good move.

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