🛡️ The 65°C Strategy: How to Stop Burning Cash in Your Boiler

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🛡️ The 65°C Strategy: How to Stop Burning Cash in Your Boiler

Most people treat their boiler like a light switch—it’s either on or off. But if you’re running your "Engine Room" at the factory default of 80°C, you’re essentially driving your car in second gear on the motorway. You’re making plenty of noise and heat, but you’re burning fuel like a hole in the hull.

If you want to keep the "Bunker" warm without the bill sinking your budget, it’s time to talk about Peak Flow.

⚓ What is Boiler Flow?

Think of your boiler as the engine and the water as the fuel line. "Flow Temperature" is how hot the water is when it leaves the boiler to head for your radiators.

  • The Factory Trap: Most installers leave it at 80°C so they don't get "it's cold" phone calls.

  • The Efficiency Trap: At 80°C, a modern condensing boiler cannot do its job. It needs the water coming back to be cool enough to "condense" and recycle the heat.

📊 The "Sweet Spot": Why 65°C Wins

After testing the "Bunker" during a 4°C Boxing Day frost, the data is clear: 65°C is the Magic Number.

  1. The 9% Saving: Dropping from 80°C to 65°C can slash your gas usage by up to 9% instantly. That’s money back in your pocket without even touching the thermostat.

  2. The Velocity: At 65°C, you still have enough "punch" to heat the house fast. We saw a 2.7°C rise in just 42 minutes. Any lower (like 55°C) and the house takes hours to recover.

  3. The Tech Safety: Keeping the house above 18°C (Real Feel) keeps your electronics happy and your blood pressure stable. 65°C flow gets you to that "Safety Line" before the cold can cause a coughing fit.

🛡️ The Tactical Rules of Engagement

  • For Combi Boilers: You are the captain. You can drop the flow to 65°C (or even 60°C) without affecting your shower temperature at all.

  • For System Boilers (with a tank): WARNING. Never drop below 65°C. You need that heat to kill Legionella bacteria in the water cylinder. Stay safe, stay at 65.

  • The "Morning Soak": Pair your 65°C flow with a 2-hour morning run. This warms the "hull" (the walls), not just the air, so the heat stays in long after the boiler stops.

⚓ The Verdict

Don’t be an "Altar Boy" to the energy companies. Stop sending them extra money just because your boiler is set too high. Turn the dial to 65°C, watch the Hive climb, and keep your "Heat Money" for the things that matter.

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