What Is Weather Compensation?
Weather compensation automatically adjusts the heat pump’s flow temperature based on outdoor air temperature. Cold outside: higher flow temperature. Mild outside: lower flow temperature.
The Weather Compensation Curve
Configured as a graph mapping outdoor temperature to flow temperature. Example:
- At -3°C: Flow 50°C
- At 7°C: Flow 38°C
- At 15°C: Flow 30°C
Why Lower Flow Temperature Helps
At 35°C flow, a heat pump achieves CoP 4.0. At 55°C, it achieves CoP 2.8. Weather compensation keeps flow temperature at the minimum needed, avoiding wasted energy on mild days.
Potential Savings
Research shows weather compensation improves annual efficiency by 10–20% compared to fixed high flow temperature settings.
Sources: Microgeneration Certification Scheme and UK field trial.
