Heating system control FAQs:

Questions and answers about any and all controls used on heating boilers used for providing heat or hot water in buildings.

This article series describes the operating and safety controls on a Heating System Boiler - central heating systems. The photo at page top shows a modern cad cell relay on an oil fired heating boiler - one of the safety controls which we discuss in this article.

Heating Boiler Control FAQs

Tyese questions & answers about heating boiler controls were posted originally at BOILER CONTROLS & SWITCHES - home - where you will find a complete dictionary and list of those devices.

These FAQs and this article series describes the controls used on hot water type heating systems, also known as hydronic heating systems.

Hot water heat is provided to a building by a heating boiler that heats hot water that in turn circulates through heat radiating devices in the building.

On 2019-01-20 by (mod) don't keep pressing the reset button

Anna

Watch out: Do not keep pressing the reset button - you risk a dangerous PUFFBACK EXPLOSION - instead, call your heating company to repair, or clean and service the system to get it running reliably.

Details are at OIL BURNER SOOT & PUFFBACKS

On 2019-01-20 by Anna

I have a Columbia oil boiler and the boiler goes on for a few minute then it goes off and I have to keep hitting the red button to turn it back on but the boiler only stays on for a few minute. There's oil in the tank.

On 2019-01-19 by (mod) - dangers of disconnecting an automatic flue damper

Jeff

If you're sure that the only role of the damper is to close to stop heat loss at the end of a heat on cycle then you could certainly remove it entirely or it may be possible to disconnect the drive motor and then put the damper in the fully open position.

Watch out however because if you disconnect the damper from the drive motor and move it manually to open you need to be sure that it won't accidentally close on its own.

If the damper closes without the electrical hook-up (that would turn off the burner) the danger is production of fatal carbon monoxide which of course as we both know could kill everyone in the house.

For that reason I would feel safest if it were removed entirely and replaced with a section of straight flue pipe.

On 2019-01-18 by Jeff

I’m a service man I have a gas boiler with an motorized Damper i changed 3 time and it opened but not making the switch for the boiler to come on can it be bypassed and if so how

On 2018-12-08 by (mod) - check the cad cell eye

Have you checked the cad cell to make sure that it's clean or new and that there are no shorts in the wiring?

On 2018-12-07 by Randy - I have power to the reset nothing happens when button is pushed.

Im installing a used forced air furnace. I have power to the reset nothing happens when button is pushed. It is a beckett oil Burnett model ah-667039 and a Honeywell reset mod # R 8184 G 1302. Looking for help getting it running.

On 2018-03-09 by (mod) -

I suspect the system needs cleaning or service, or perhaps simply a replacement of the flame sensor or cad cell eye.

Other more subtle failures can occur such as an overheating transformer that takes time get hot, or even a simple loose wire connection.

On 2018-03-08 13:11:56.665845 by Jessie

Why is it that I press my reset button on my oil boiler once it work fine for about six eight hour then thermostat goes down and is calling for heat but I have to manual go press the reset button and repeat same process

On 2017-11-03 20:55:24.836009 by (mod) -

Sylvia

Usually your heating service technician OR an electrician can repair a thermostat wiring problem.

I would start with the heating service tech since if you call an electrician and she finds that the thermostat and its wiring are perfectly fine then she'll just have to point you to your heating company to find and fix a problem with a heating control or system.

On 2017-11-03 19:53:03.090315 by Sylvia. Brooks

The connection from the thermostat to the boiler is not working. Who fixes the thermostat in the house wired to the boiler gas heater radiator system. And electrician or the boiler service tech?

On 2017-02-28 01:50:14.573811 by (mod) -

You need to wait a few minutes after the lock-out; meanwhile check for power.

On 2017-02-27 23:12:56.564236 by stephen

hello i have an outdoor grant combi 90 v3 boiler it doesn't seem to do anything when i push the lock out reset button

On 2017-02-15 22:07:18.737405 by (mod) -

Beth, if you search InspectApedia for HEAT WON'T TURN OFF you'll find a list of common causes and cures for the problem you note; first check if your thermostat wires are shorted together by disconnecting them at the heater.

On 2017-02-13 by Beth

my oil hot water furnace will not turn off by adjusting the wall thermostats; we have 3 zones. the thermostat for one zone works that area of the house fine.
another thermostat in another part of the house doesn't turn the furnace on.

the upstairs thermostat will not turn the furnace off. I have turned it all the way down, and the house gets really hot. the only way to shut the furnace off is by the switch to the furnace. does the furnace itself have a thermostat that could be adjusted? the wall thermostats and the furnace are not communicating.

On 2017-02-06 1 by Diana

The home I purchased in July 2016 has a hot water boiler, natural gas furnace. It was in stalled in 1983, so it's old. The problem I am having is that every couple of days it just stops working. Turning off the electric switch, waiting a few seconds then turning it back on will make it start up again, but clearly something is wrong.

The guy who came to diagnose it today hadn't a clue what the problem could be and suggested replacing a bunch of parts and then couldn't guarantee that would fix it. He suggested just replacing it (I was told by the furnace company this guy was knowledgeable on this type of furnace but I'm not so sure).

So I am wondering if anyone knows what thing/s might possibly cause my problem to happen before I take another shot in the dark on potentially another company that claims they know about boiler furnaces but really don't. Any help will be much appreciated

...

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Recommended Articles

• BOILER CONTROLS & SWITCHES
• STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS & CONTROLS

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BOILER CONTROL & SWITCH FAQs-2 at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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