Heat Won't Turn Off - how to turn of un-wanted heat: radiators, baseboards
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What to do if your thermostat does not seem to "turn off" the heat
How to stop unwanted heat from radiators and baseboards
Guide to Thermostats for Heating and Air Conditioning Systems - how to Find, Adjust, or Repair Thermostats - Troubleshooting & Repair Guide
What are the Other Little Switches For on a Room Thermostat: Heat, Air Conditioning, Off, & Fan ON OFF MAN positions

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This article explains where and how to turn off the heat if simply turning down the thermostat does not stop un-wanted heat coming from heating radiators or baseboards.

Because some controls are used in common on hot water heat, hot air heat, and steam boilers, readers should see these other articles: see BOILER CONTROLS & SWITCHES, and also see BOILER COMPONENTS & PARTS for a detailed list of heating boiler controls, other heating system components, parts such as circulator pumps & draft regulators. If your building uses warm air heat, see FURNACE CONTROLS & SWITCHES. If your building uses steam heat see STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS. Also see Heat Won't Turn Off - Stop Unwanted Heat.

Readers needing to find and fix un-wanted air leaks, heat losses, or other energy wasters should see HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS. Readers should see ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY and also see HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS and INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT for energy saving retrofit detailed guides. Also see GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS for more details on how to inspect and test LP and natural gas piping, controls, valves, and tanks.

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How to Turn Off Un-Wanted Heat in buildings

Question:

I live in a rental property. It is a three floor house, which old school round honeywell thermostats on each floor. All three of these thermostats are turned down as low as they can go. It's nice out now, but our heaters still leak heat. The landlords have told us we need to turn the heat off, that there is a "slidey switch" on each of the three thermostats to turn them off.

I live in New York, they live in colorado and don't specifically remember how to do it, even when I sent them cell phone pictures of the unit with the lid off.

The only "slidey thing" I see is beneath the thermostat cover (I removed it to look) - it is what you describe at HEAT ANTICIPATOR Adjustment (Photo at left). The arrow is in the dead center of the scale. Should we adjust it? If not, do you perhaps have some idea how we may succeed in no longer wasting money on heating bills while we have three fans blazing per room? -- Johan J. Sheridan

Answer:

Guide to Turning off the Heat in a Building - When the Radiators or Baseboards "won't turn off"

DO NOT try to turn the heat on or off by changing the adjustment shown in our photo and described by the question above. That's the heat anticipator not an on-off control for heat. The heat anticipator is a fine-tuning adjustment inside the thermostat and not something that a homeowner should change. The heat anticipator is explained at HEAT ANTICIPATOR Adjustment.

Just below we discuss several considerations in turning off un-wanted heat in a building. This article addresses problems with thermostat settings, non-working check valves or flo-control valves, and how to force the heat to "turn off". Separately at RADIATORS we discuss the problem of individual radiator valves that don't operate to allow turning a hot water or steam radiator on or off. Also see ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings.

Turning Off Heat at Thermostats that Set Temperature Only - Lack an "on-off" Switch

Thermostats contain an internal temperature sensor which compares the air temperature at the thermostat to the temperature called-for by the user, turning the cooling (or heating) equipment on or off as appropriate.

If with the cover on your thermostat (TT) looks like the Honeywell round thermostat shown at left, (discussed at THERMOSTATS) Then there is no "HEAT OFF" control on the thermostat itself.

This thermostat is adjusted by turning the clear plastic dial by grasping its outer ring. The upper temperature dial is the "set" temperature - the temperature you are asking to be maintained.

The lower temperature indicator dial is the "current room temperature" sensed by the thermostat. In our photo the room temperature is at 70 degF and the "set" temperature is below that, at 66 degF. In this condition the heating system should not be running to warm the building.

If this thermostat is set to a temperature above room temp the boiler (or furnace or steam boiler) will run until the thermostat is satisfied (and the room reaches or passes the "set" temperature on the thermostat.

So if you set the thermostat to a temperature below the room temperature, heat should be "off" and heat should soon stop coming out of radiators, baseboards, or air registers. If the heating system keeps on warming radiators or baseboards in this condition, we explain what to do about it in this article - below.

Turning Off Heat at the Electrical Power Switch or Service Switch

If you want to turn off your heating system regardless of the temperature setting at the thermostat, and if the thermostat itself does not include an "off" switch (see the next description below) you can turn off the heat by switching off electrical power to the heating boiler or furnace.

To completely turn off the heating system, regardless of thermostat setting, you'd need to find the boiler or furnace "off" or "service" switch - an electrical power switch.

Usually there are two electrical switches controlling power to a boiler, steam boiler, or warm air furnace, one at the heater itself (for service people) and one at the entry to the utility room or basement where the heater is located, or somewhere in the living area near a stairwell or hall that goes to the heater.

Sometimes, but not always, these switches have a red cover.

See ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH FOR HEAT for a description of the heat master on-off control.

Turning Off Heat at Thermostats that Include a Cool-Off-Heat Switch on the Thermostat

Thermostat COOL OFF HEAT settings explained

If your thermostat has a "Cool-Off-Heat" switch, such as those shown at SWITCH FUNCTIONS on a Room Thermostat then just slide that little lever to "OFF" or "COOL" if you have A/C and want the air conditioning to kick in.

If your home does not have central air conditioning it might still have a thermostat with these three settings.

To simply turn off the heat regardless of the thermostat's temperature setting, just set the slide switch to the "off" position (in the middle in our photo at left).

Incidentally, wrong temperature settings can also foul up delivery of cool air from an air conditioning system: for the thermostat to actually turn on the air conditioning system (if central air is installed) the thermostat switch must be in the "cool" position and the temperature set to a level below the ambient room air temperature at the thermostat location.

Why Are the Baseboards or Radiators Hot Even Though the Thermostat is Set Higher than Room Temperature? Un-wanted Gravity or Convection Circulation of Hot Water

If electrical power switch to a hot water heating boiler is in the on position (see ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH FOR HEAT) and the room thermostat is set above room temperature, the heating system (hot water or steam) boiler or (warm air) furnace should not run.

But for hot water heating systems (baseboards, radiators), other defects could cause or permit hot water to circulate through the heating system by "gravity" (convection, warm water rising on its own through the heating piping) even though the thermostat is not calling for heat.

The problem, if this is occurring, is usually that a check valve (photo above-left) (found internal to some circulator pumps, or external as a physical device) intended to prevent hot water from circulating on its own - when the circulator pump is off - is either set to a "forced open" position, or it has become defective.

If that's the problem (diagnosed by a heating and service technician) then the valve or circulator needs to be replaced. While waiting for that repair to be made, you can still turn off the heat, by turning off electrical power to the boiler.

See CHECK VALVES, HEATING SYSTEM for more about these devices.

What if Our Heating Boiler Also Makes Hot Water for Washing?

Watch out: if your heating boiler is also used to make domestic hot water for washing and bathing, through a tankless coil (see Indirect-fired Water Heaters), then turning off the boiler will mean you'll also lose hot water for bathing.

If that's the case, but you're getting heat when you're not asking for it, then the check valve, flo-control valve, or similar problem (or a faulty thermostat itself) needs to be diagnosed and repaired.

Also, before turning off your heating system completely in freezing weather, see FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING or WINTERIZE A BUILDING.

How to Save Heating Cost & Air Conditioning Costs by Thermostat Adjustments

Substantial heating or air conditioning cost savings can be achieved by manually setting back your thermostat when the building is unoccupied or when occupants are asleep. The thermostat is set several degrees (or more) cooler during heating season or warmer during cooling season.

The settings of thermostat "mode" switches into "heating" or "cooling" and the use of other thermostat switches to control an air conditioning blower fan or heating system blower fan are discussed in detail at Other Switches on a Room Thermostat.

Lots of websites offer calculators that will tell you how much you'll probably save in energy costs for every degree you set back your heating or cooling thermostat. Just don't set the thermostat down so low that you suffer costly damage from freezing pipes in winter or mold from high humidity in summer.

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BOILERS, HEATING
BOILER CONTROLS & SWITCHES
BOILER OPERATING PROBLEMS
  Types of Boiler Defects
  Air-bound radiators or piping
  Diagnose Loss of Heat
  Diagnose Oil Heat Noises
  Evaluate Heating Boiler Leaks
  Combustion Air Defects
  Heat Won't Turn Off - Stop Unwanted Heat
  Heating Malfunctions & Implications
  Heating Defects & Implications

THERMOSTATS, HEATING / COOLING
  Types of Building & Room Thermostats
  How Thermostats Work
  Detailed Guide to Room Thermostats
  How to Set the Thermostat
  COOL OFF HEAT, Thermostat Switch
  FAN ON AUTO Thermostat Switch
  HEAT ANTICIPATOR Adjustment
  HEAT ANTICIPATOR Mini Ammeter to Check
  HEAT PUMP Thermostats - Outdoors
  INSTALL & WIRE Thermostats
  TEMPERATURE RESPONSE of Room Thermostats
  SWITCH FUNCTIONS on a Room Thermostat

Thanks to reader Johan J. Sheridan for discussing thermostat control difficulties and heat that kept coming out of baseboards - 08/03/2010
Proliphix Corporate Headquarters, 3 LAN Drive Suite #100 Westford, MA 01886 Phone: +1.978.692.3375 Toll Free (U.S.): 866-IP-LIVING (866.475.4846) Fax: +1.978.692.3378 - Sales: sales@proliphix.com Customer support: support@proliphix.com http://www.proliphix.com/ - quoting from the company's website:

All Proliphix Network Thermostats come with our free Uniphy Remote Management Service. This unique offering lets you monitor and control your HVAC systems by simply pointing your Browser to our secure Proliphix Web Site. Enjoy the convenience of programming a thermostat from any location, using a simple graphical interface. No computer equipment or software is required. And since Proliphix takes care of the network configuration for you, you’ll be up and running in no time. We’ll even proactively monitor your thermostats and send you an immediate email or SMS message when an HVAC problem is detected.
Honeywell Controls, the company wants you to use their contact form at this web page: http://www51.honeywell.com/honeywell/contact-support/contact-us.html
Honeywell Consumer Products, 39 Old Ridgebury Road Danbury, CT 06810-5110 - (203) 830-7800
World Headquarters, Honeywell International Inc., 101 Columbia Road, Morristown, NJ 07962, Phone: (973) 455-2000, Fax: (973) 455-4807 1-800-328-5111
White Rodgers Thermostats and HVAC controls,
Homeowner information: http://www.emersonclimate.com/en-US/brands/white_rodgers/Pages/wr-homeowner-info.aspx
Contractor information: http://www.emersonclimate.com/en-US/brands/white_rodgers/wr_contractor_info/Pages/white-rodgers-contractor-info.aspx
White Rodgers Product Catalog (don't misspell the company's name as White Rogers Thermostats) -
http://www.emersonclimate.com/Documents/thermostats.pdf - Thermostat Catalog

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
Inspection Procedures for Oil-Fired Heating Systems Detailed step by step approaches for inspecting complex systems]
Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners, Charles H. Burkhardt, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York 3rd Ed 1969.
National Fuel Gas Code (Z223.1) $16.00 and National Fuel Gas Code Handbook (Z223.2) $47.00 American Gas Association (A.G.A.), 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 also available from National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Fundamentals of Gas Appliance Venting and Ventilation, 1985, American Gas Association Laboratories, Engineering Services Department. American Gas Association, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209. Catalog #XHO585. Reprinted 1989.
The Steam Book, 1984, Training and Education Department, Fluid Handling Division, ITT [probably out of print, possibly available from several home inspection supply companies] Fuel Oil and Oil Heat Magazine, October 1990, offers an update,
Principles of Steam Heating, $13.25 includes postage. Fuel oil & Oil Heat Magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004.
The Lost Art of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, 516-579-3046 FAX
Principles of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, technical editor of Fuel Oil and Oil Heat magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004 ($12.+1.25 postage/handling).
"Residential Steam Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
"Residential Hydronic (circulating hot water) Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
"Warm Air Heating Systems". Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Volume I, Heating Fundamentals,
Boilers, Boiler Conversions, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23389-4 (v. 1) Volume II, Oil, Gas, and Coal Burners, Controls, Ducts, Piping, Valves, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23390-7 (v. 2) Volume III, Radiant Heating, Water Heaters, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps, Air Cleaners, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23383-5 (v. 3) or ISBN 0-672-23380-0 (set) Special Sales Director, Macmillan Publishing Co., 866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022. Macmillan Publishing Co., NY
Installation Guide for Residential Hydronic Heating Systems
Installation Guide #200, The Hydronics Institute, 35 Russo Place, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
The ABC's of Retention Head Oil Burners, National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, TM 115, National Old Timers' Association of the Energy Industry, PO Box 168, Mineola, NY 11501. (Excellent tips on spotting problems on oil-fired heating equipment. Booklet.)
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Heat Won't Turn Off - how to turn of un-wanted heat: radiators, baseboards InspectAPedia® -

How to Turn Off Un-Wanted Heat in buildings

Guide to Turning off the Heat in a Building - When the Radiators or Baseboards "won't turn off"

Turning Off Heat at Thermostats that Set Temperature Only - Lack an "on-off" Switch

Turning Off Heat at the Electrical Power Switch or Service Switch

Turning Off Heat at Thermostats that Include a Cool-Off-Heat Switch on the Thermostat

Why Are the Baseboards or Radiators Hot Even Though the Thermostat is Set Higher than Room Temperature? Un-wanted Gravity or Convection Circulation of Hot Water

What if Our Heating Boiler Also Makes Hot Water for Washing?

How to Save Heating Cost & Air Conditioning Costs by Thermostat Adjustments

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Heat Won't Turn Off - how to turn of un-wanted heat: radiators, baseboards
InspectAPedia^® -