Home Repair forum - turning off furnace?

Author

turning off furnace?

Mark Modrall

2005-08-29, 10:21 pm

Hi...

My wife says the basement is getting to hot in a heatwave, so she
wants to turn off the furnace using the emergency switch on the first
floor. Personally, I don't know what the negative consequences could be
for just shutting the furnace off, but I have an aversion to pushing red
buttons.

It seems that the water heater could then start calling for heat and
not get it (not sure what the negative consequence would be). Seems
like it might have problems getting restarted. Other than that I'm not
sure why turning the furnace off in the summer is a bad idea.

Anyone have any better rebuttals?

Thanks
-mark

robson@nf.sympatico.ca

2005-08-29, 10:21 pm

Mark Modrall wrote:
> Hi...
>
> My wife says the basement is getting to hot in a heatwave, so she
> wants to turn off the furnace using the emergency switch on the first
> floor. Personally, I don't know what the negative consequences could be
> for just shutting the furnace off, but I have an aversion to pushing red
> buttons.
>
> It seems that the water heater could then start calling for heat and
> not get it (not sure what the negative consequence would be). Seems
> like it might have problems getting restarted. Other than that I'm not
> sure why turning the furnace off in the summer is a bad idea.
>
> Anyone have any better rebuttals?
>
> Thanks
> -mark

I don't think it matters. Mine is on all summer and I just turn back
the thermostats and it never cuts in. The furnace kicks in once in
awhile for hot tap water. I have an emergency switch on the main floor
as I am in a flood zone and in case the basement fills (fingers
crossed) i don't have to get my feet wet to kill the furnace.

Mikepier

2005-08-29, 11:21 pm

Try turning down your aquastat. Maybe that will prevent the boiler from
saying on longer to heat the hot water.

Edwin Pawlowski

2005-08-29, 11:21 pm

"Mark Modrall" <mmodrall@verizon.cod> wrote in message
>
> It seems that the water heater could then start calling for heat and
> not get it (not sure what the negative consequence would be). Seems
> like it might have problems getting restarted. Other than that I'm not
> sure why turning the furnace off in the summer is a bad idea.
>
> Anyone have any better rebuttals?

Yes. wear and tear on the heater.

If you were to turn it off and leave it off for a couple of weeks, that
would be good. Save energy, keeps the basement cooler. Not so on a daily
basis.

If you turn it off after you shower, then turn it back on the next day, the
heater components are constantly expanding and contracting with the
temperature changes. This is not so good and it can cause premature wearing
out and from the stresses.

I'm licensed to operate high pressure boilers. We usually run them at 125
psi or about 335 degrees. At night they are cut back to 5 psi and also
kept that way over the weekend.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

maradcliff@UNLISTED.com

2005-08-30, 3:21 am

I shut off the gas to my furnace in summer. Why keep a pilot light
burning to waste gas and add unwanted heat.

Mark

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 00:56:30 GMT, Mark Modrall <mmodrall@verizon.cod>
wrote:

>Hi...
>
> My wife says the basement is getting to hot in a heatwave, so she
>wants to turn off the furnace using the emergency switch on the first
>floor. Personally, I don't know what the negative consequences could be
>for just shutting the furnace off, but I have an aversion to pushing red
>buttons.
>
> It seems that the water heater could then start calling for heat and
>not get it (not sure what the negative consequence would be). Seems
>like it might have problems getting restarted. Other than that I'm not
>sure why turning the furnace off in the summer is a bad idea.
>
> Anyone have any better rebuttals?
>
>Thanks
>-mark

Edwin Pawlowski

2005-08-30, 7:21 am

<maradcliff@UNLISTED.com> wrote in message
news:9qr7h1h08unja7ojpb5ttemklkoaso88ja@4ax.com...
>I shut off the gas to my furnace in summer. Why keep a pilot light
> burning to waste gas and add unwanted heat.
>

He really does not have a furnace, but a boiler that also heats his hot
water. Difference scenario.
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