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Author Topic: Running the pump while away  (Read 2026 times)

loneryder

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Running the pump while away
« on: December 11, 2017, 06:28:25 PM »
After Xmas I'm going to Fla. for 3 months. Last year I left the pump running and switched over to Heat Pump and set the Thermostat @ 50.  I ws thinking about shutting the pump down this year when I switch to HP.  Should I worry about freezing?  The HP is heating the boiler water before the house since the exchange is on top of the furnace.  What do you folks think?
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Smokeless

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Re: Running the pump while away
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2017, 06:34:22 PM »
My opinion keep the water exchanging. No way for the heat to go out to the wood furnace if you shut the pump off.
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Bud Man

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Re: Running the pump while away
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2017, 07:49:47 PM »
We go south every winter for a few weeks and always leave the pumps running.  I don't use any glycol so I need to do something to keep the water from freezing. We set the LP furnace at 50 and the water stays about 80 in the boiler.
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loneryder

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Re: Running the pump while away
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2017, 08:38:05 PM »
I only have the Central Boiler chemicals in it which I think are for ph.  Guess I'll leave it running. Last year the electric bill stayed the same as if I was here.
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E Yoder

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Re: Running the pump while away
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2017, 01:52:22 AM »
If you drain it be sure to take off the lower pump flange, leave all the ball valves open. You don't want water to puddle anywhere.
A drained furnace will corrode more quickly than a full one though.
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wreckit87

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Re: Running the pump while away
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2017, 08:43:15 AM »
I usually hire someone to feed mine while I'm gone and just keep the stat down low, but a couple times I've experimented with it by letting the fire go out and shutting down the draft fan so my LP backup kicks in. I let it go for I think 6 days once last year and never saw the boiler water get below 55 or 56 because the gas furnace was keeping the circulated water charged as it passed through the furnace coil. I was home through all this, just an experiment but it should be just fine if you let it run. I wouldn't shut the pump down without draining the boiler
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