FHW circulator control

Neal_3

I have installed a pellet stove in the house but and now worried about freeze-ups in the FHW system (some pipes run in unheated spaces). How can I get the circulator & zone valve(s) to operate on a timed basis?

Brad White_203

Some thoughts

1) Constant circulation (if moving water is your only concern, a small "jockey" circulator will consume some Watts, but that is the price one pays.

2) You could set up the circulator to stop and start every so often, maybe to run every ten minutes fore one minute. This too is a risk.

3) Similar to #2, but run the circulator in conjunction with an aquastat or thermostat in those areas at risk. If the piping fluid seems too cold, say 45 degrees or certainly lower than indoor ambient), run the circulator full bore and bring on the heat.

4) You should have your thermostat at a lower setpoint I would hope, so that when pellets cannot carry it or you are away, you have that margin of safety. This is probably not your prime concern though, just moving the water.