Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [central-heating]

For questions regarding a central heating system for the home. The system consists of a furnace or boiler and a method to distribute the heat throughout the home.

Questions regarding space heaters, fireplaces, or other devices should use the appropriate tag or the general tag.

See also the following components of a central heating system for more specific questions:

307 questions
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Is it possible for a gas fired boiler to consume more energy when heating intermitently versus having heating at all times?

I have an argument with my dad regarding energy consumption of a gas-fired wall radiator home central heating system. Their current setup involves no thermostat and the boiler deciding when to fire based on some kind of curve calibrated to use an…
KubaFYI
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How can I protect a frozen heat pump in cold weather while waiting for service?

Yesterday I noticed that my Carrier heat pump was struggling to keep up with my thermostat settings inside the house. It was around 35°F (2°C) outside, I had the thermostat set at 72°F (22°C), but the internal temperature wasn't rising above 70°F. I…
user3103523
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How do you trigger the HVAC with wiring only?

I have a HVAC that has the usually wiring C R G W Y Pinouts What wires do I need to connect to turn on Heating? What wires do I need to connect to turn on the A/C? Is there a risk of damaging any circuitry in doing this? Is there a way of finding…
Ashitakalax
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Why does bleeding radiators save energy?

I wanted to bleed my radiators by myself for the first time and I was wondering what is the reason that bleeding radiators saves energy? Most of the guides on bleeding radiators mention that this is important for saving energy but none explain the…
user161351
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Is Electric Central Heating worth it if using Solar Panels?

I understand that electric heating is less efficient and comparatively more expensive than gas heating (propane or natural gas), but considering I live in Texas (a lot of sunlight) and I intend to install solar panels, would it be cheaper and more…
MisterStrickland
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8
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5 answers

How can I stop our duct work "pinging" at night?

I'm in Canada, and our home is a bit older, ~20 years, and the duct work seems to be making a rather loud "pinging" noise at night. I assume this is due to colder weather in general, and the hot air from the furnace heating the duct work up. The…
Ditto
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Why are almost all of my house's HVAC floor registers placed near exterior windows?

My current house is a single story built over a crawlspace and all the HVAC registers are in the floor. In all of the larger rooms, at least one (and usually more) register was placed near an exterior wall and almost always near a window. Looking…
kbyrd
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Can I convert a radiator to radiant floor heating in a room?

I am purchasing a new home, and designing some renovations to several rooms. The house has a gas boiler and radiators throughout the house. For the kitchen and upstairs bathroom, I will be putting in tile flooring. To save space, I am wondering…
Paul Kroon
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7
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How to Lower the Ouptut of Oversized Furnace

Questions I would like to lower the output capacity of my furnace if possible. How can I do this? Is it worth doing, or should I just live with it? Is there an easy way? Some ideas: replace burner nozzles with smaller nozzles, replace burner with…
zerpsed
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7
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2 answers

Why did an HVAC installer add this PVC pipe?

We recently had a VERY old central heating furnace replaced and I noticed that the HVAC installer added the following PVC pipe shortly before the inspector arrived: The metal vents were already part of the original furnace. I'm confused on what…
Mike B
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Is it an easy task to replace a wall thermostat?

As above, is it an easy DIY job to do this safely? In my research into the above it has become apparant that I should consider replacing the old thermostat with a programmable one for energy savings. How does a programmable thermostat produce…
bcmcfc
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Why do I have a cold draft from a return air vent?

I have a draft occurring in my 2 story home, usually on windy days. The main floor is fine, but in the master bedroom on the second floor, there is cold air entering the room from the air return vent. It's not much, but noticeable. In the basement…
Aaron Rustad
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6
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3 answers

Can I close the garage vent on my furnace?

My furnace duct system has a vent in the garage, right over the furnace. Is it necessary for the proper operation of the furnace to keep that open? I'd hate to waste the money heating up my garage, but I don't want to close the vent if it means…
Jeremy White
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How can I stop my radiators "clicking" when they're turned on or off?

I have a central heating system on a timer, and whenever the timer turns on or off, for around ten / fifteen minutes, some of the radiators in my home make regular clicking noises, kinda hollow-sounding, coming from inside. I've done some research…
Luke
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How can I locate the pump in a wet open-vented central heating system?

Lost: One Central Heating Pump. Reward offered (in reputation points ;) I have a wet open-vented central heating system, and I've turned it on after six months to find the radiators aren't getting hot. We suspect the pump is clogged with sediment.…
Steve Cooper
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