Weather Compensation for Heat Pumps: How It Works & Why It Matters

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.