We are all looking for ways to reduce our energy bills, especially as we approach this freezing snap with snow predicted over the coming weeks.
One option is to turn down the flow temperature, but what does this mean?
Thermostat
The boiler thermostat controls the flow temperature – and this is the temperature of the water that heats your radiators. The water cools as it flows, then returns to the boiler – this is the return temperature. So, by reducing the flow temperature, you’ll also reduce the return temperature, saving you money and energy.
Your boiler controls are separate to your central heating control, including your room thermostat and individual radiator valves. The central heating system is either on or off, but the thermostat controls the temperature of the water which goes around your system.
It’s essential to get these temperatures before adjusting the boiler flow temperature. Your boiler should have a dial control for the flow temperature or a button and digital display. Before making adjustments, take a photo of the existing settings if you need to put them back.
When you had your boiler fitted, you could find that the flow temperature was too high as it was probably set by the installer and set to the maximum. If you do decide to turn down the flow temperature, you can either turn it down to a level that’s just warm enough and leave it there. If you have a conventional boiler with a hot water cylinder, you could try to turn the flow temperature down to 65 degrees and no lower. Any lower your risk of illness from legionella bacteria in the cylinder.
If you have a combi boiler with no hot water cylinder, you can turn down the flow temperature as much as you like – with some people setting it to 60 degrees. Find out what works for you and adjust it accordingly.
You can also consider adjusting the temperature when the seasons change. If the weather is mild, you can turn it to 50 or 55 degrees and higher, it’s particularly cold.
By turning your flow temperature down, you could find that some rooms aren’t warm enough, so you need to weigh the cost versus the benefits of a high temperature. By doing this, you could reduce your gas bill by as much as 13%, with the boiler efficiency improving by around 5%
