Latest Discussions : HVAC

02:39PM | 12/24/02

Member Since: 10/22/02
3 lifetime posts

Hot Water Temp Setting?-Oil Burner

Tags: HVAC

This is my first winter in a house I bought. I have baseboard hot water heating through the house. The oil furnace also provides me with hot water.

My question is this. What temperature setting for the hot water will provide the most economical cost in oil consumption?

I currently keep the low end on the hot water at 130 deg. I dont like the water any hotter than that. But, when the oil burner kicks on to heat the house, naturally, the hot water temp goes way above that, due to the burner heating the water that is flowing through the baseboard heat to the temperature it needs to be to do its' heating.

Does it make sense to kick the temperature of the hot water up a bit, so the furnace doesnt have to kick on as often to heat the water to the temperature that is needed to flow through the baseboard heat.

If I keep the hot water temperature lower, the furnace wont kick on as often. If I raise it, the furnace will come on more frequently to keep the temperature higher, so isn't there really no difference?

And, by the way, what is the temperature that will kick on the heat pump to pump water through the system once it is warmed up?

jstef66

02:56AM | 12/25/02

Member Since: 10/22/02
3 lifetime posts

Your reply confirms what I thought made sense, but, I wasnt sure. Thanks for the opinion.

The reason I got confused was that the local plumber that does the work on my furnace told me that I was going to be wasting alot more oil during heating of the house if I didnt keep the hot water temperature way up. He told me that the furnace would have to kick on to additionally heat the water to a higher tempeature than I have it set for, a temperature suitable for heating though the baseboard heat. In his sceneario, my water would always be hot, therefore, the circulating pump would only have to come on to move the hot water through the system.

To me, it seems if you have to run the furnace more often to keep that water hot, then, what are you really saving?

Now, I understand, thanks.

BV006270

05:09PM | 11/13/14

what should the highs and low of water temp be for my furnace, I have baseboard heat, and live 100 miles north of nyc
I have a mixing valve for my domestic water

BV016050

01:00PM | 04/01/18

Just moved into a home. We have a New Yorker oil furnace AP-590U. It seems to heat the house okay but the water from the shower and the sinks goes cold very quick, too quick. Can this be adjusted. The furnace was just installed in January 2018. It is brand new.

BV017062

03:08PM | 08/05/18

My hot water gets so hot it has scolded me twice how do I turn it down can't find temp adjustment on furnace?

BV024274

09:45AM | 01/23/21

Your hot water heater should be set no higher than 120 for safety and burn less fuel. There is a control on the hot water heater itself to set the temp. The boiler should burn anywhere from 140 to 190 depending on how cold it gets.