Benefits of Low-temperature Heating Systems July 22, 2023 All residential heating systems are going opting for low-temperature heating systems. It's necessary to install more heat pumps, but it also helps gas boiler installations and opens the door to cleaner sources. What Do We Mean When We Say Low-Temperature Heating System'? We don't mean by having a colder home—we mean it's comfortable with a relatively cool heating system. Thus, 25°C to 50°C radiators can provide comfort and possibly improve it. Space heating systems rarely exceed 35-55°c. Most UK heating systems can do this, there are many benefits of running any system at a lower temperature. These should also be low-temperature heat sources. These aren't always related. Low-temperature heating can be achieved in three ways. This is through insulation, low-temperature controls, and larger emitters. These will work separately, but combining them will lower your temperature and maximise their benefits. The most crucial and simple step is setting up and using modulating controls like weather compensation or load compensation. This maximises these benefits. 3 Top Benefits of Low Temperature Heating Systems 1. Slower Corrosion Rates Corrosion is your main enemy after system startup. Radiators contaminate system water. This damages pumps, valves, gas boiler primary heat exchangers, balance, and emitter efficiency. With chemical reactions, hot chemicals react faster. Heat excites molecules and raises their vibration frequency. This boosts its 'collision rate' with other compounds, speeding up chemical reactions. A metal's corrosion rate doubles every 10°C. If the corrosion rate is 10 mpa (mils per annum) at 50°C, it should be 20 mpa at 60°C. Oxygen level controls this. Oxidation is corrosion's active element. Open vent vs. sealed systems show this. As the system heats above 80°c, open-vented water rapidly loses dissolved oxygen. Since it's open to the atmosphere, oxygen may escape and the corrosion rate drops rapidly beyond this temperature. However, in a sealed system, small pressurisation raises this oxygen saturation temperature, causing the oxygen to remain in the water. Because the system is sealed, oxygen has nowhere to go, which causes a steady increase in corrosion rate. The majority of systems now operate at maximum flow temperatures of 80°C and maximum return temperatures of 60°C, which will not even begin to notice a decrease in corrosion. In fact, a sealed system will never experience lower corrosion rates than an open vent system until the flow temperature reaches over 90 oC. The only thing that can be done to stop corrosion is to slow it down, and lowering flow temperatures does just that. 2. Less Thermal Shock To The System Thermal stress affects all materials, but some more severely than others. The problem with cooling down and heating up again is that high temperature-resistant components are used in boilers and heating equipment. Repeated heating and cooling can cause material fractures, especially when two materials with different thermal properties come in contact because of their varying rates of expansion. It's one of the reasons some engineers prefer to use only brass and copper in boilers and reject the idea of using composite materials to achieve the same level of temperature resistance. Additionally, the drying out of greased mechanical parts and the wearing out of rubber seals in joints and valves can result from this heating and cooling. Other materials exposed to the environment outside, especially rubber, may exhibit comparable effects. Naturally, less prone to these materials are selected. However, operating at steadier, lower temperatures will result in even longer periods between repairs, which actually increases efficiency. 3. Cleaner and Safer Air Within The House Despite being referred to as "radiators," most of a radiator's heat is really convection, not radiation. It is claimed that a radiator's convection produces 80% of its heat. In actuality, the radiator's temperature determines how much heat is radiated and how much is convected. By creating a convection current, this convection pulls air upward through the radiator and distributes heat throughout the space. A significant number of allergens can be released into the air as air is drawn up the radiator surface and via the convection fins (you know, the place that's full of dust and cobwebs and is seldom ever cleaned). If there are pets present, the main allergens include dead skin, dust mite excrement, dead mites, mildew, and animal hair, skin, and mites, among other things. However, dust mite excrement is the worst since it severely triggers allergies in 10% of people, leading to some of the worst allergies and, in particular, childhood asthma. The tendency of the higher temperature heating to dry up the air can make eczema or respiratory problems worse in people who already have them. Even a small reduction in emitter temperature has a major impact on changing the heat transfer mechanism from convection to more radiant heat, which settles the air. A significant one, particularly if the home is fragile or allergic-sensitive. Speak to our Heating Engineers in Hampshire & West Sussex Call us on 07391473964 and we'll be happy to help.