Alpha Domestic Gas Combined Boilers.

Alser · Jan 29, 2021

Hi,

Further on from my Worcester boiler woes I have been looking at cost of a new boiler and debating whether to choose another Worcester or an Alpha Combi.

Had never heard of Alpha before now and understand they are classed likely as a " budget "" brand.

Anybody shed any light on this brand?

Cheers.

Sharpend · Jan 29, 2021

Not heard of them so wouldn’t touch without some seriously good recommendations.
Vaillant are good, Baxi are good budget offering.

Geoff1946 · Jan 29, 2021

You get what you pay for. Buy a good one and you will win in the long run. I'm a bit out of touch these days but Vaillant and Worcester Bosch were the best when I last needed one.

The most important feature, if you want to do your own assessment, is a stainless steel heat exchanger.

Place I worked ten years ago had a Baxi with alloy construction and it lasted three years. (They may have improved now, plus I considered the maintenance contractor incompetent, so it may be unfair to Baxi))

I presently have an elderly, (18 year old), WB which came with the bungalow, and is competently maintained on a contract by their own technicians.

When it comes to the day they can't fix it the contract includes a significant grant towards a replacement. That will be the way I go.

Alser · Jan 30, 2021

Thanks again guys,

Alpha boilers, mmm!, since had a look on site, lots of glowing testimonials from customers around speedy repair service and that sort of put me off as a guide to reliability.

I'm set now and have been recommended the Worcester 38cdi as a replacement for the 37cdi. Guy was surprised that the 37 had failed after 11 years. He did say that Worcester had an issue with Heat exchangers failing on this range early on and were replacing free of charge if yearly serviced and under 5 years old.

After having a look on the Worcester site, Im a bit concerned that the 38cdi might be a bit over the top for my 10 radiators. Also concerned about extra pressure on my micro bore pipework. Having all pipework changed to 15mm would probably be ideal but funds and the upheavel of it all wont allow for the moment..

Will definately go with a yearly service though to keep as tip top as I can.

boltonsparky · Jan 30, 2021

I have an Alpha combi, I think it's an eco30, in the house I rent out. It was fitted by recommendation of my gas engineer. It came with a 10 year guarantee. They've been around for a long time and I believe some years ago they used to be horrendous but are now owned by a different parent company and are much better, this one has various improved bits, as mentioned above stainless steel this and that, filters etc, other than where the insulated copper strings go in I have very little knowledge of what's inside them.

It was fitted either 2016/17 and has been trouble free since, it's serviced and safety checked every year with it being a tenanted property.

Geoff1946 · Jan 30, 2021

A ten year guarantee is a big attraction provided its parts and labour. When I fitted a Vaillant in my previous house about 2011 they had a five year all inclusive which I thought good at the time.

Alser, an oversized boiler can reduce operating efficiency a bit but doesn't have any significant effect on system pressure. That's always set in the 1.5 - 2.0 bar range.