monitoring temps while away

[bag of hammers]

So this weekend I show up at the camp and the furnace is not running - the wind and snow was so bad during the week that it packed up part of the air intake (direct vent) and the unit shut itself down. First time ever that this has happened. I cleared the vent and restarted the furnace without any further issue. The inside temp was @ 5 deg C. Outside was -18. No damage luckily. Thank God for passive solar and a bit of sunshine, and frequent trips out there.

I believe I've seen posts here where some of the folks have talked about remote monitors, sensors, data loggers, etc. in their homes. I'd like to put some kind of a wireless temp sensor (maybe humidity too) in the place, maybe one in the crawl and one upstairs, something that can alert me if the temps approach freezing. I have a working internet via the 4G cellular service that I can leverage. I see from a quick google that there are a million options available so I'm just a bit overwhelmed. Anyone have any practical experience / advice that you care to share? Thanks in advance....

ps not sure if this belongs in the DIY forum...?

 

[begreen]

Nest thermostat?

 

[bag of hammers]

Thanks begreen - I thought about Nest but the kicker is that I can't hook up any external thermostat on the Rinnai furnace (7 stage modulating logic or something like that). Otherwise I'd be all over it (would love to be able to crank the heat up an hour before I head out there). I suppose I could still use a Nest to monitor the temps but it would end up being be a pretty spendy temperature sensor in my case. Similar gadgets that just read / upload the temp every couple minutes or whatever, and upload it to a site, trigger an email, etc. but don't actually control anything is where my brain is going....

 

[yooperdave]

I'm hoping that there is enough room available on the pvc exhaust and intake that you are able to cut and couple an extra length to each of them to avoid this problem in the future. They should be placed no lower than 12" above anticipated snow height.

 

[Hogwildz]

I just installed an Ecobee wireless, and love it so far. Has an APP that you can check the current temp and humidity on your phone, and also online. You can also adjust the temp on your phone or online.
You can set up alarms to warn you of over temp, under temp, and other issues.
I got it off Amazon for about $162.00.
It is cool to open the app on your phone and know exactly what the temp of your house is, and raise the temp via the furnace before you get home, for a nice toasty home.
I will only use ti like that when I am away. Otherwise, the insert handles the load.
Here is a link: I chose HVAC wholesalers direct for the vendor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008F40R4C/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item

My bad, sorry, didn't realize it was a wall unit. Supposedly they are working on an external thermostat, but nothing yet. I did find this though, if you want to get brave & creative:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.hvac/tQO_lxzcZ-g

 

[Ashful]

Wireless alarm system, such as GE Home Security? The biggest retailer of this hardware (that I know) is FrontPoint Security. All you need is power, as the alarm functions via 3G wireless. They have temp monitors that will trigger an alarm, preset around 40F. They also have flood sensors, fire, smoke, CO, door alarms, motions... all the usual stuff.

 

[bag of hammers]

Thanks Hogwildz - Ecobee and Nest gadgets look pretty cool, but as you noticed, I have a wall unit - tinker and die, or something like that . The thermostats would work for me, basically just monitoring temps and not really controlling anything. Seems like taking a tank to a knife fight, but it's always an option.

I'm hoping that there is enough room available on the pvc exhaust and intake that you are able to cut and couple an extra length to each of them to avoid this problem in the future. They should be placed no lower than 12" above anticipated snow height.

Thanks yooperdave - this unit has a stainless steel wall vent that has a pipe within a pipe (hot exhaust out the middle 1" pipe, sucks combustion air back in around the same pipe). It sits flush with the wall - here's crappy cut and paste here from the install manual. There's not much I can do to modify this.

 

[Hogwildz]

Time for a new or used furnace and new thermostat. Chaching. LOL
Seems a simpler fix would be extend the pipe upward.

 

[bag of hammers]

Time for a new or used furnace and new thermostat. Chaching. LOL

$$ for sure - out digging in the snow now for that big bag of cash....

I should mention that this unit is a remarkable heater - kept the entire place in a no freeze every winter - been rock solid for years - this is the first time the vent has ever iced up (but it has been a freaky winter). Yeah I thought heard somewhere else that they were working on an external thermostat too - that would be nice. It's one drawback to an otherwise nice solution.

For now, I know I can get there in under 2 hours - just have no way of knowing when the temp bottoms out.

Now that I'm getting some feedback (e.g. thanks Joful) and there may be some reasonable options to skin this cat (temp monitoring) without investing the farm.

 

[Ashful]

hammers, if you go that route, there may be better options than Frontpoint. They're a monitored service (i.e. $30/month with free system), which works well for many. Others prefer the DIY systems that you can set to call YOU (not the monitoring company), with an up-front cost, but no monthly monitoring fees. There was a good thread on this in the DIY forum here at hearth.com, a few months back. You may want to search for it.

 

[bag of hammers]

thanks Joful - my apologies for any redundancy - thanks for the heads up. Yes I do want to have it just call / email me. Very simple use case to start, maybe expand a bit later, but for now I'd be very happy even if my cell phone chirped when the temp bottomed out.

 

[Retired Guy]

So this weekend I show up at the camp and the furnace is not running - the wind and snow was so bad during the week that it packed up part of the air intake (direct vent) and the unit shut itself down. First time ever that this has happened. I cleared the vent and restarted the furnace without any further issue. The inside temp was @ 5 deg C. Outside was -18. No damage luckily. Thank God for passive solar and a bit of sunshine, and frequent trips out there.

I believe I've seen posts here where some of the folks have talked about remote monitors, sensors, data loggers, etc. in their homes. I'd like to put some kind of a wireless temp sensor (maybe humidity too) in the place, maybe one in the crawl and one upstairs, something that can alert me if the temps approach freezing. I have a working internet via the 4G cellular service that I can leverage. I see from a quick google that there are a million options available so I'm just a bit overwhelmed. Anyone have any practical experience / advice that you care to share? Thanks in advance....

ps not sure if this belongs in the DIY forum...?

We have a Sensaphone that we use in our vacation home. It monitors upstairs temp, cellar temp and sump pump status. Once I have a chance to install another oil burner control it will monitor furnace lockout.

http://www.sensaphone.com/?gclid=CJb9_aDUs7wCFURnOgodTTkANg

 

[bag of hammers]

We have a Sensaphone that we use in our vacation home. It monitors upstairs temp, cellar temp and sump pump status. Once I have a chance to install another oil burner control it will monitor furnace lockout.

http://www.sensaphone.com/?gclid=CJb9_aDUs7wCFURnOgodTTkANg

Thanks Retired Guy - going to check that out....