Most people have no clue what “weather compensation” means. Only a few years ago, it meant nothing to me or many other boiler engineers. Why this technology is not more widely used astonishes me when you understand just how good this is, not just for your boiler but for comfort, efficiency, condensing, longevity, great for use with underfloor heating and is very versatile. This type of technology is necessary if we are to meet our carbon reduction targets by the year 2050. It will be used in new homes in conjunction with heat pumps and other renewable technologies, and also with conventional gas boilers.

WEATHER COMPENSATION EXPLAINED

So how does it work? The thermostat relays data about the temperature outside your home to the control panel which then talks to the boiler. The boiler turns on or off the heat as needed to keep your home at the temperature you want. With both these parts of information the boiler automatically knows what temperature the boiler needs to flow at to get to and maintain your set temperature normally 19-21 degrees. A boiler works much the same way as your car does. If the temperature outside the car rises the engine will work harder to keep the car cool. And likewise, if the temperature outside the car drops the engine will work harder to keep the car warm. This process will happen however which way you adjust the desired room temperature whilst maintaining comfort levels. The clever thing about this design is the condensing boiler is constantly in “condensing mode” which means your comfort level is high, and your gas bills are low, and you’re reducing your carbon footprint. The choice of boiler and its installation is critical to the long-term performance of your central heating system. A correctly installed and tuned up boiler will make a lot of difference to the comfort of your home.

Not all boilers are created equal, so having the right boiler, with the right software, makes a big difference. Weather compensation is a built-in feature of most home heating systems that allows them to operate more efficiently and provide a more consistent temperature over a wide range of temperatures. Most boilers use what is called a heating curve which is adjustable to allow weather compensation to be use in many different types of homes, from old draughty ones to modern, double glazed well insulated properties.

This combination is ideally suited to a well-insulated, glazed building and underfloor heating. When combined with low-temperature radiant heating, it will make the building operate at its lowest possible temperature, which means that it will be in condensing mode all of the time, which will result in extracting the maximum amount of energy from the boiler. This is not to say that this type of control strategy won’t be more efficient in a draughty old property with large panel radiators. On the contrary the versatility of weather compensation will without doubt be a massive improvement on standard temperature controls.

FACTORS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT

Radiators need to be checked for adequate output, if they are already too small then this will only highlight this further, you may want to consider replacing your radiotors with a larger model. If you have a normal home heating system, your thermostat will be set much lower than you are used to. And for many people, they don’t quite understand how this can be the case, and still maintain a comfortable room temperature. Radiators are not for drying your laundry, if you cover them up with soiled clothing, furniture, beds or radiator covers you’ll dramatically reduce their efficiency. A clean radiator is very important. If your radiator is clogged with sludge, the efficiency of the unit will be greatly diminished. In fact, it could cause the heating system to malfunction.

Installing insulation in your walls and ceiling will make a huge difference to the amount of heat your home requires to keep it comfortable. And don’t forget loft insulation. The outdoor sensor needs to be sited on the north side of the building, and in many cases it is hardwired so a cable is required back to the boiler. There are now several wireless models available for when a new cable would be an expensive option.