Anyone have experience with an outdoor reset control? (house, cost)

[rossco17]

Hello - my latest idea in my quest to save heating money is to install a Tekmar Outdoor Reset Control. This handy dandy device takes the outdoor temperature into account when heating your water, so that your boiler doesn't heat your water to the maximum temperature when it doesn't have to. Instead, it heats your water to the minimum temp required to get your house up to a comfortable temp.

here's a good little video about it
How to Install Weather-Based Heating Controls | Video | Heating | This Old House

I know these have probably been around a while, but they're new to me. Can anybody tell me if they've had any good or bad experiences with an outdoor reset control? Is 10%-15% oil cost savings a realistic number?

thanks

[riddei63]

Originally Posted by rossco17

Hello - my latest idea in my quest to save heating money is to install a Tekmar Outdoor Reset Control. This handy dandy device takes the outdoor temperature into account when heating your water, so that your boiler doesn't heat your water to the maximum temperature when it doesn't have to. Instead, it heats your water to the minimum temp required to get your house up to a comfortable temp.

here's a good little video about it
How to Install Weather-Based Heating Controls | Video | Heating | This Old House

I know these have probably been around a while, but they're new to me. Can anybody tell me if they've had any good or bad experiences with an outdoor reset control? Is 10%-15% oil cost savings a realistic number?

thanks

I have heard that they work pretty well. I basically do the same thing manually. In the beginning and end of the heating season I adjust the water temp. You want to make sure that the Low and Hi setting are at least 20*F apart, otherwise the burner will cycle too much. In the warmer winter months, I set the temp around 100/130 and in the colder months I go up to about 150/180.

An automatic system would be much more hassle free (but I'm cheap).

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by riddei63

I have heard that they work pretty well. I basically do the same thing manually. In the beginning and end of the heating season I adjust the water temp. You want to make sure that the Low and Hi setting are at least 20*F apart, otherwise the burner will cycle too much. In the warmer winter months, I set the temp around 100/130 and in the colder months I go up to about 150/180.

An automatic system would be much more hassle free (but I'm cheap).

The new bolier we installed has a super insulated 40 gallon hot water tank for storing the hot water. The boiler only comes on twice a day for a few minutes to keep that 40 gallons a very hot 140 degrees.

[rossco17]

Originally Posted by Maineah

The new bolier we installed has a super insulated 40 gallon hot water tank for storing the hot water. The boiler only comes on twice a day for a few minutes to keep that 40 gallons a very hot 140 degrees.

Your talking about your DHW, right? In the shoulder seasons, like late fall, when you need to heat your home, but it's still only 40* or 50* outside, this will change your aquastat temp setting on the fly so you're not heating your forced hot water more than necessary