B Colder bedrooms when outside is warmer

[russ_watters]

I cannot say your wrong...but I need to tell you that basement furnace has two water pumps. That's why I believe each thermostat is wired to each pump. If one thermostat is set higher than the other one. Then the pump will pump out more than the other pump. I word it...water pipes wrong.. I know the furnace is connected to copper pipes with hot water in it to baseboards upstairs on first floor. Baseboards give off heat in baseboards' fins. Then cold copper pipes return to the furnace again. Its all I know. One other thing I think I learn right that the burner (flame) inside is always on whether or not hot water is used.
It is possible I learn wrong.

Ok: boiler. The boiler has two water pumps. At least one for the baseboard radiators and probably one for the forced air unit. It would be unusual to have an air conditioner and baseboard controlled by the same thermostat - I don't think it can avoid turning on the fan with the heat. Again, you should be able to tell by the warm air coming out of the vents.

Ok on April 4th. He or the contractor. I am now lots better prepared with questions for him.

Good to hear.

 

[Althepump]

Three photos of my furnace. First, furnace. The other two are two water pumps to boiler.
There is something more I need to tell you.
The house is first built 60 yrs ago with that furnace. I can see the duct where it carries heated air into the cement wall. You can see the photo.
I don't know where this duct leads to..maybe to attic. It's puzzling because at that time there are no supply vents except that big 24x30.

It's not clear where that duct brings heated air.
Then thirty years later the AC was installed. And the installer made openings on the ceiling to put supply vents for AC. I cannot recall any vent before the install.

Now after you pointed out about the heated air by furnace. I began to piece the puzzle together a little more.
Remember, I told you about the other two thermostats. They apparently are wired to the furnace downstairs just for the baseboards. Heated water radiated off from the fins in bds.

Now the third thermostat that is installed later..30 yrs later is apparent for heated air control only separate from heated water.
I want to put accurate details about that 3rd thermostat's dial. From left to right on the dial

Cool Off Heat has its own mini dial. Fan on Auto ...has its own mini dial on right. Actually the thermostat has two settings..two switches...

When I want AC on, I select Cool. It works providing Auto is selected.. I can see supply vents blowing cool air at setting 70.
When I don't want to do with AC, I select OFF. The OFF is on left mini dial.
When Heat is selected, the setting is put to 75...while AUTO is ON. On the right. .. Nothing happens.. Nothing.. No blowing air from supply vents and no return air to 24x30. While Heat selected, I try Fan on at the same time...its just blowing air around..no heated air.
So I turned off Heat.
When fan on is selected, I could feel air circulation supply vents an return vent are working.Now I began to wonder about the duct from furnace. I cannot see how this duct is connected to ductwork for AC. maybe completely separate duct networks one for AC and another for furnace. I still cannot figure out where the furnace duct go with heated in it before the AC installation. Maybe the heated air goes into the walls around the house. No supply vents at that time. Maybe I overlooked one old existing vent..
I will bring them up on April 4th maybe driving him into nuts. I wonder what his replies will be.

 

[Althepump]

No, you can't have two thermostats wired to the same furnace. The thermostat in the hallway is a heating and cooling thermostat and it is almost certainly wired to the "furnace" in the attic. The evaporator coil is for the air conditioning and is attached to the furnace in the attic and uses the furnace fan to circulate the air.

Furnaces don't have water pipes, they have 3/4" gas or oil pipes and they have ~3" combustion exhaust ducts that are sometimes made of pvc piping material. The word "furnace" referring a device that burns fuel to heat air. If you have a boiler, and you really have two water pipes going into the air handling unit (are they insulated?), one would be the supply and the other the return.

Now it's clear what furnace really does. I don't know about the air handling unit. The way you describe sounds like the hot water gives off heat to the air handling unit for air ducts. The ducts seem not insulated. Hot water copper pipes are not insulated,too.

Right, 62F is the heating setpoint -- but it looks to me like it is also the cooling setpoint. I can't tell from the pictures if the thermostat automatically changes between heating and cooling. Between "heat" and "cool" is there an "auto" that it is set for? Or just "off"?

I think it is. I can see in your first picture, the pointer in the upper left has options of "heat" and "cool". I think the unit in the attic has heating and cooling because the thermostat indicates it is for a unit that has both heating and cooling.

I see but I still don't know why I don't get heated air. I will ask the maintenance man.
By leaving it set in "auto" it will change between heating and cooling on its own. Or just accidentally turning it on and not realizing that it is both a heating and cooling thermostat.

It isn't difficult to tell what a system is doing: if air is coming out of the supply vents, it is on. If the air is warm, it is heating and if the air is cold, it is cooling. And when it is cooling, the condenser outside will be on/make noise.

It might be worth having a friend who knows about such things - or even getting a contractor - to come and poke around, looking at your equipment to tell you what you have. It isn't easy to tell from the limited and confused information you are able to tell us.

While waiting for the man, I am considering looking for a hearing friend who knows sign language or eventually get a hearing professional interpreter for the man. It's not easy to schedule an interpreter for the scheduled date. A friend maybe. I have to look for one.

Looks like house is now full of maze. Even haunted.

 

[Althepump]

Good news. Really it's for me. I just spoke to Petro Oil Company through Relay Services. They said a technician will come to my house on the scheduled date. The tech already knows that I have a bunch of questions. Also, he knows I have Relay Services with video box attached to tv.

I will communicate with him with questions. I will ask questions in sign language to Relay Service interpreters on tv (video). The interpreter will repeat my question in voice to the technician. He has to have cell phone with him. He has to give me his phone number. Then I give the number to The Relay in sign language. Then relay interpreter will dial the number to him. He answers. Then the conversation begins between him and me through Relay Services.

Then I ask questions. He answers all. All this kind of communications for the deaf is called Relay Services. I will take advantage.

Thank you for the help in getting me started. I am more than ready with questions. Looks like you guys give me another life.

I will let you know with info from tech.

 

[Althepump]

Update: April 4 arrived today. Results

The tech came for annual furnace maintenance this morning and explained to me through Relay about the furnace. The duct embedded into the wall is not really a duct. It's smoke stack that connected to chimney via wall. No air heat..although it's called furnace. That part just collected smoke into the chimney. All I have is two thermostats that is connected to furnace actually water boiler with two water pumps to heat the base radiator. Water heat only.

I asked him about the cool fan that is on third thermostat in the hall. He said that third thermostat is really for AC and also wired to the cool fan equipped inside attic. Separate fan. I suppose through ductwork. Nothing to do with AC outside for air ventilation.

Then I asked another and last question. I could see see how patient he was with me. " can I see the unit in attic that is connected to AC through ductwork?" He said yes, but not not today. He said when I have AC annual maintenance due May, I can ask him or other guy for a look in the attic.

That's all information I have.

Alb