OpenTherm is an open standard digital interface for modern boilers. Normally a simple relay is used to turn the boiler on or off at traditional heating system. When any room require heat, boiler is on to heat water to preset temperature. Only when thermostat tells it turn off, traditional boiler will be switch off.
As a result, most often your radiators come on full blast and can often overshoot the temperature you set. Then the thermostat waits until the temperature falls then kicks the boiler into maximum gear again. The average temperature you achieve may be right, but you end up over and undershooting the level you set, which isn’t ideal.
You can think of this like driving a car at an average of 70mph by accelerating fast to 80mph, drifting back down to 60mph and then repeating the cycle. Efficiency and control go out of the window.
With OpenTherm, you get a digital interface to the boiler that allows your smart thermostat to change the temperature of the water used for the heating. This is called modulation.
As most smart thermostats understand how long your home takes to warm up, they can measure the heat required to get your house up to temperature. From that, they can set the boiler to the most efficient water temperature to achieve the goal. In many cases, thermostats may set your water temperature to a lower level, using longer heating times to hit the set temperature. With a modern condensing boiler, running at lower temperatures for longer can be more efficient, saving you more energy.
Once at temperature, OpenTherm may further reduce water temperature just to balance out natural heat loss through your home’s walls, windows, doors and roof.
Importantly, using OpenTherm means that a boiler only uses the energy it needs to provide the heat required at that point to save money.
Post time: Aug-23-2021