I have a dinosaur furnace/boiler in my basement...

I have a dinosaur furnace/boiler in my basement...
there is a dial that starts at 60 and goes to 220...what does it mean and where do I set it too??
It is metal and I can slide it back and forth to any number...I am in Boston and it is getting cold...Please help!
Tanya

So what is it, a furnace (hot air) or a boiler (hot water or steam)? If it is a boiler does it supply hot water or steam? Do you have cast iron radiators in your house or baseboard heaters? What is the name/manufacturer of the equipment and what is the model number?

But most of all, can you post some pictures of the equipment?

More pictures are always better than fewer. Please have CLEAR pictures and have both close up pictures and ones from a far enough distance that we can see how the various parts are interconnected.

The best thing to do here is call a service technician in before something dangerous happens.

pics would be great.maybe manufacturer and model.

To be certain what the adjustments are for, you'd need the manual. Often, they're the high/low set points for the boiler water. One sets the max where it shuts off, the other represents (when the system is calling for heat) it will allow it to cool off to before it turns back on. Basically, it defines the zone the boiler tries to maintain when heat is called for. Often, this is set with a difference of around 20-degrees F. To be certain, though, you'd need to see the manual. Your specific needs and the proper setting can't be done from here without knowing the whole system's requirements.