Modulating House Heater with turndown firing

Ken123

Is there a House Heater Natural Gas with turn down firing? If not is it possible to have one designed with a temperature controller to cut back on firing for house temperature control instead of the heater cycling on and off?

EBEBRATT-Ed

For gas firing their are hot water boilers that modulate (hi & lo flame) which reduces stops and starts.There are also warm air furnaces with two stage step firing (high and low fire only.

Don't know if this answers your question

Ken123

Very helpful, thanks.
Boiling water may be too much when air would be a simple system.

Hoping single stage fan would work and at a low firing rate the air would be cooler. Firing rate ratios of 10 to 1 for gas heaters and air are available meaning the the technology is available, but not sure if there is house hold controls and heaters for this.

It would be nice for an constant running system not waking me from system on/off noises and much better controlling.

Also wondering if house heater suppliers have reviewed this concept before and there may be safety or other concerns. Interesting to think about.

Ken123

Found this modulating heater and seems it will work but need to review further.
https://www.michiganair.com/blog/turndown-ratio-myths-vs-reality/

mattmia2

The major furnace manufacturers make modulating furnaces and communicating thermostats that can match the output to the heat loss of the house. You would have to dig in to the install manuals to figure out which ones can be set up to modulate rather than to ramp up to try to end the heating cycle within some time period.

psb75

"Boiling water may be too much when air would be a simple system".

Gas-fired hydronic heating would solve a lot of your issues. Water is the best medium to deliver and distribute quiet, even, constant, economical, comfortable heat. Much better than trying to heat air and move it around.

Ken123

Yes and would be much better, I could pump hot water from my hot water heater and I live in Louisiana, with around 40,000 BTU water heater and small house 1,2000 sq ft. Also a small water exchanger in my heating duct would need about 40,000 BTU and should have enough heat from my water heater. Seems like adding a pump, exchanger and analog temperature control with throttling the water valve would do the trick. Seems like a DIY project and hot water/house heating would be dependent on one source of hot water, but very simple.

Ken123

mattmia2 said:

The major furnace manufacturers make modulating furnaces and communicating thermostats that can match the output to the heat loss of the house. You would have to dig in to the install manuals to figure out which ones can be set up to modulate rather than to ramp up to try to end the heating cycle within some time period.

I will check with my local HVAC company, thanks.