Thermostat question

David Kiley

Hello Everyone,

I just installed a programmable thermostat for my boiler heating system- replacing the old mercury type. It's set to heat up 3 degrees at a time above your target temperature when the heat turns on by default. I was wondering how many degrees is ideal for it to heat up at once with steam, since with my old thermostat it seemed to heat up about 5-6 degrees at a time. It seems like steam takes a long time to get going, so maybe it's more efficient to heat up more at once?

Does it make a difference?

Thanks a bunch!
David

Brad White_36

Not quite sure what you mean

by three degrees at a time, David. And above your target temperature? Does that mean you intend to over-heat the space?

Think of the thermostat as a switch activated by temperature. It is a binary device. You want to set it at the temperature you want your space to be.

Depending on the internal differential it should maintain that temperature up or down a degree (drop a half degree below setpoint to fire the boiler by which time the space temperature drops maybe another half a degree... temperature rises to the setpoint whereupon the burner stops... mass of heat coasts over the setpoint to a degree or so then drops again to renew the cycle. Basic sinusoidal wave of rise and fall over time around the setpoint target. Does that help your understanding? Let me know-

Brad