Turn off hot water zone
#1
03-07-12, 01:03 PM
Turn off hot water zone
Hi
I've only had gas furnaces and I just bought a home that uses baseboard hot water heating. It has 3 zone; 1 upstairs, 1 down stairs, and 1 in the garage. I would like to turn off the garage unit because I'm not using the space for a shop like the previous owner.
The garage has a electric blower that has hot water circulating through it and a regular dial thermostat on the wall. How do I turn off the system?
The garage taco zone valve has a water shut off valve handle and spigot below the valve. Do I shut off the water and open the spigot to drain the water? Do I leave the taco zone valve at auto or switch it to open? Do I disconnect the wires on the taco valve or disconnect the wiring at the thermostat in the garage?
I appreciate the help! Thanks.
I've only had gas furnaces and I just bought a home that uses baseboard hot water heating. It has 3 zone; 1 upstairs, 1 down stairs, and 1 in the garage. I would like to turn off the garage unit because I'm not using the space for a shop like the previous owner.
The garage has a electric blower that has hot water circulating through it and a regular dial thermostat on the wall. How do I turn off the system?
The garage taco zone valve has a water shut off valve handle and spigot below the valve. Do I shut off the water and open the spigot to drain the water? Do I leave the taco zone valve at auto or switch it to open? Do I disconnect the wires on the taco valve or disconnect the wiring at the thermostat in the garage?
I appreciate the help! Thanks.
#2
03-07-12, 02:26 PM
Just turn the thermostat all the way down, or OFF if it has a switch. The zone valve won't open and the heat won't flow. If the thermostat doesn't go as low as you would like, or has no 'off' switch, you could disconnect one wire at the thermostat. Don't mess with the wiring to the valve or the manual / auto, not necessary.
There is something you should be cautioned about though... if you have PLAIN WATER in your heating system (most do), and not (special boiler) anti-freeze (NEVER use automotive anti-freeze in a heating system!), and it gets real cold, and the pipes freeze... they will split open and you will have a mess on your hands.
There is something you should be cautioned about though... if you have PLAIN WATER in your heating system (most do), and not (special boiler) anti-freeze (NEVER use automotive anti-freeze in a heating system!), and it gets real cold, and the pipes freeze... they will split open and you will have a mess on your hands.
#3
03-07-12, 02:33 PM
Hello Allen,
Have to make sure that the pipes in the garage don't freeze and ruin everything.
If you are very sure you don't want to heat the garage, then the thermostat and zone valve would be disconnected. The manual valves to the garage shut off and all the water blown out of the garage zone with an air compressor.
If can post some pictures, we can help you figure out what needs to be done, in detail.
Hopefully there is also a manual valve before or after the zone valve.
Even if there is one, it might be hard to get all the water out, without some means to purge air in from one end to the other. Additional work may be needed.
Peter
Have to make sure that the pipes in the garage don't freeze and ruin everything.
If you are very sure you don't want to heat the garage, then the thermostat and zone valve would be disconnected. The manual valves to the garage shut off and all the water blown out of the garage zone with an air compressor.
If can post some pictures, we can help you figure out what needs to be done, in detail.
Hopefully there is also a manual valve before or after the zone valve.
Even if there is one, it might be hard to get all the water out, without some means to purge air in from one end to the other. Additional work may be needed.
Peter
#4
03-08-12, 12:14 PM
Peter, I just moved to NH and I'm loving this winter weather. 
I've attached photos of the setup in the house. The garage zone has a shut off valve and spigot. The lady that owned the house just shut off the water to the zone and that's all she said she did. I want to make sure we have no issues with it.
Thanks for the help!
I've attached photos of the setup in the house. The garage zone has a shut off valve and spigot. The lady that owned the house just shut off the water to the zone and that's all she said she did. I want to make sure we have no issues with it.
Thanks for the help!
#5
03-08-12, 01:50 PM
Hello Allen,
Couple things.
IMO, it really would be a good idea to purge the water out of the garage zone, instead of just shutting it off.
Maybe it might be ok for the rest of this season, as long as no one forgets to shut the garage door. Maybe not.
We would need some more pictures to see if there is an easy way to air purge it.
Of course it is possible there is anti-freeze in the system. You would have to drain ua sample and have it tested, to know for sure.
As far as the winter here goes.
I hate to say this, but please don't get too used to it.
This year is certainly an anomoly.
It can easily be 50% colder in terms of degree days/btu's $$'s needed to heat with. Not only is the temperature warmer than normal, there has also been a lot more sun and if that isn't enough much less wind than normal also.
This season to date i have used oil equavalent about 365 gallons.
Last year over 500 gallons.
I have made some changes, cellar insulation, pipe insulation, the draft corrected on the boiler, but the big factor is the weather, for shooouha.
Peter
Couple things.
IMO, it really would be a good idea to purge the water out of the garage zone, instead of just shutting it off.
Maybe it might be ok for the rest of this season, as long as no one forgets to shut the garage door. Maybe not.
We would need some more pictures to see if there is an easy way to air purge it.
Of course it is possible there is anti-freeze in the system. You would have to drain ua sample and have it tested, to know for sure.
As far as the winter here goes.
I hate to say this, but please don't get too used to it.
This year is certainly an anomoly.
It can easily be 50% colder in terms of degree days/btu's $$'s needed to heat with. Not only is the temperature warmer than normal, there has also been a lot more sun and if that isn't enough much less wind than normal also.
This season to date i have used oil equavalent about 365 gallons.
Last year over 500 gallons.
I have made some changes, cellar insulation, pipe insulation, the draft corrected on the boiler, but the big factor is the weather, for shooouha.
Peter
#6
03-08-12, 02:42 PM
Allen, if there is no anti-freeze in the system I agree that a POSITIVE shutoff AND draining, AND disconnecting the thermostat is the way to go.
The pics that Peter wants to see would be ones that would show any valves on the lines to and from the unit heater in the garage.
So that would be the zone valve closest to the camera in the picture?
And those are the valves on the pipes RETURNING to the boiler?
In order to drain that system properly, you would need a similar setup on BOTH ends of the pipes to that unit. That's the only way that you could properly drain that zone and positively shut it off from the system. You may have to ADD some valves to the other side, as they usually only put them at one end to facilitate purging air from the system when initially filling the loop with water. That valve isn't intended to be a 'water drain', but an 'AIR drain'. If the other end of the loop is still open to the rest of the system, it will be pressurized still, and there will be water in the loop.
Once the loop is drained, disconnecting the thermostat (one wire is enough) and taping that wire up will prevent the zone valve from operating. There is no reason to mess with the wiring at the valve. If you don't disconnect the thermostat, when the garage gets cold, the thermostat will call and call for heat and never get any... this will cause the boiler to keep firing and will eventually fry the zone valve. Simply lifting one wire from the t'stat would prevent that.
Leave as much of it intact as possible, who knows? you might someday want to heat that area and it would be a simple matter to refill the zone and connect one wire.
The pics that Peter wants to see would be ones that would show any valves on the lines to and from the unit heater in the garage.
The garage zone has a shut off valve and spigot.
And those are the valves on the pipes RETURNING to the boiler?
In order to drain that system properly, you would need a similar setup on BOTH ends of the pipes to that unit. That's the only way that you could properly drain that zone and positively shut it off from the system. You may have to ADD some valves to the other side, as they usually only put them at one end to facilitate purging air from the system when initially filling the loop with water. That valve isn't intended to be a 'water drain', but an 'AIR drain'. If the other end of the loop is still open to the rest of the system, it will be pressurized still, and there will be water in the loop.
Once the loop is drained, disconnecting the thermostat (one wire is enough) and taping that wire up will prevent the zone valve from operating. There is no reason to mess with the wiring at the valve. If you don't disconnect the thermostat, when the garage gets cold, the thermostat will call and call for heat and never get any... this will cause the boiler to keep firing and will eventually fry the zone valve. Simply lifting one wire from the t'stat would prevent that.
Leave as much of it intact as possible, who knows? you might someday want to heat that area and it would be a simple matter to refill the zone and connect one wire.
