{"id":3256,"date":"2026-06-06T10:30:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T10:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mywarmhome.co.uk\/stage\/?page_id=3256"},"modified":"2026-10-01T20:21:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T20:21:26","slug":"heating-curve","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mywarmhome.co.uk\/stage\/heating-curve\/","title":{"rendered":"Heating Curve"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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HEAT PUMPS \/ WEATHER COMPENSATION<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The heating curve.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

How outdoor temperature sets the flow temperature \u2014 and why small adjustments can improve comfort and efficiency.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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01<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the weather<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The outdoor temperature tells the controller how much heat the home may need.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set the flow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Colder weather calls for warmer water; milder weather allows a lower flow temperature.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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03<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect efficiency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lower flow temperatures can improve COP and support a stronger seasonal SCOP.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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04<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fine-tune comfort<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Adjust the curve in small steps and watch how the whole home responds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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01 \/ THE BASICS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a heating curve?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A heating curve tells a heat pump what flow temperature to produce based on the outdoor temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heat pumps do not generate heat; they move it. The curve helps set the temperature at which that heat reaches the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it’s colder outside, the system increases the flow temperature sent to your radiators or underfloor heating. When it’s milder outside, the flow temperature is reduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aim is simple: provide just enough heat to keep the home comfortable without producing unnecessarily high water temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Think of the curve as the heat pump’s automatic weather compensation system.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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02 \/ PERFORMANCE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where the heating curve fits in.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The heating curve directly influences the flow temperature your heat pump produces. A curve set too high may keep the home warm, but it forces the heat pump to operate at higher temperatures than necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lower COP<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Higher flow temperatures can reduce the heat produced for each unit of electricity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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More electricity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The compressor has to work harder to reach an unnecessarily high flow temperature.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Higher running costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Poorer efficiency over the heating season increases electricity use and cost.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A well-optimised heating curve does the opposite. By keeping flow temperatures as low as possible for as much of the heating season as possible, the heat pump can achieve better efficiency throughout the year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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03 \/ COP AND SCOP<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How better COP creates better SCOP.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The connection is straightforward. Every day your heat pump operates with a higher COP contributes to a higher SCOP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a heat pump runs at a COP of 4 during mild weather rather than a COP of 3, it uses less electricity to produce the same amount of heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When this improved performance is repeated over hundreds or thousands of operating hours throughout the year, the overall seasonal efficiency increases significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why heating curve optimisation is often one of the quickest ways to improve heat pump performance without replacing any equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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04 \/ FLOW TEMPERATURE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why lower flow temperatures matter.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Heat pumps are most efficient when the temperature difference between the heat source and the heating system is small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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01<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 35\u00b0C flow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If it is 7\u00b0C outside and the flow temperature is 35\u00b0C, the heat pump can operate very efficiently.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 55\u00b0C flow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At the same 7\u00b0C outside, a 55\u00b0C flow makes the compressor work harder, reducing efficiency and increasing running costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t

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HEAT PUMPS \/ WEATHER COMPENSATION<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

See the heating curve work.<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t

Move the outdoor temperature, then raise or lower the curve. Watch the target water temperature, chart and heat-pump illustration respond.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t

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