System and methods for controlling operating state of a heat transfer system are disclosed herein. The heat transfer system can include temperature sensor positioned at the fluid inlet line and the fluid outlet line and a heat exchanger between the fluid inlet line and the fluid outlet line. The heat transfer system can include a processor communicatively coupled to the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor. The processor can determine an inlet temperature of water flowing in the fluid inlet line and outlet temperature of water flowing in the fluid outlet line and can determine a delta temperature based on difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature. Based on the inlet temperature and the delta temperature, the processor can determine an operating state of the heat transfer system.