Until now, you’ve had to rely on manufacturers’ standard settings, refer to generic tables or base balancing on experience or recommendations from radiator or TRV (thermostatic radiator valves) manufacturers to balance the system.
The result is that many heating systems do not operate efficiently. Research shows that 82% of heating systems in existing buildings in Germany alone in 2017 were incorrectly balanced (CO2online, 2017).
EFFECTS OF INSUFFICIENT BALANCING
Basic or insufficient hydronic heating system balancing can frequently become your headache when homeowners contact you for a solution for uneven heatin their home and poor comfort.
Insufficient balancing affects heating systems differently. In condensing boilers, excessive operation can cause a rise in return flow temperatures due to loss of condensing, making the system less efficient. The introduction of hydrogen boilers will compound this issue in the future as fuel will not be so cheap.
Flow temperature needs to be as low as possible for heat pumps to minimise
energy costs and maximise performance. Increasing flow velocities also increases
the circulation pump’s energy consumption and flow noise inside thermostats and radiators.
The solution to all of these issues is correct balancing. Still, traditionally that’s been a time-consuming process, requiring the advanced measuring and adjustment
of each valve – something few of us have time for.
HYDRONIC BALANCING THE GRUNDFOS WAY
Balancing with Grundfos requires that the circulator installed in the heating systems is one of the following: ALPHA2 (with ALPHA Reader accessory), ALPHA3, UPM3 LIN. You will also need to download the Grundfos GO Balance app – available on iOS and Android.
The app works in a range of heating systems, including two-string radiators systems and underfloor heating systems, both with pre-set valves, and can balance any of them easily in just five simple steps.
Five steps of hydronic balancing with Grundfos:
- Download and open the Grundfos GO
Balance app - Start the balancing – the app takes you
through hydronic balancing step-by-
step - Add measurements – for each room in
the home, you add room
specifications, radiator specifications
and Q + H measurements - Balance each room – when
measurements are completed, you
adjust each heat emitter according to
the calculated target flow - Get the report – when the hydronic
balancing is completed, you get
documentation to support what has
After this, your customers will have a system that not only provides better indoor comfort, but one that can offer as much as 20% energy savings annually.
For more information on hydronic balancing and the Grundfos range of heating solutions,
speak to your sales representative, email salesireland@sales.grundfos.com or call +353 (0)1 408 9800.
