Is the Alpha E-TEC 30S boiler a combi, regular or a system boiler?

The Alpha E-TEC 30S boiler is an option you may wish to consider if you're looking for a system boiler for your house or flat.

System boilers are suitable for homes with a higher-than-average demand for central heating and water - for example, larger homes and larger families.

Tell the boiler when you want hot water using the control panel - it draws water from the mains, heats it and keeps it warm throughout the day in the hot water cylinder. As long as you remember to tell the boiler when you want hot water, you have a big enough cylinder, and there's not an unusually high demand for water on a particular day, you should have hot water whenever you need it.

System boilers do not require a cold water storage tank either, unlike heat only boilers, meaning they're cheaper, quicker and easier to install.

Is a Alpha E-TEC 30S system boiler suitable for my apartment or house?

It's best to choose a boiler whose size or "output" is right for your property. With boilers, however, size does not mean how big a boiler is, it means how much power it has.

The output of a boiler is measured in kilowatts and tells you how much power it has available to heat the water it sends to your hot taps, showers and radiators. The greater the demand for hot water in your home, the larger the output you will need.

It is important to select a boiler with the optimal output rate. Choose one with too high an output and your gas bills will be too expensive. Choose one with too low an output and sometimes the water in your radiators and coming out of your taps will be barely lukewarm.

The output of the Alpha E-TEC 30S system is 29 kW kilowatts, so which types of property would this be most suitable for?

An experienced PlumbProud Gas Safe engineer would recommend that the level of output from this Alpha E-TEC 30S System boiler would make it a suitable installation option for larger properties including detached homes with 15 or more radiators and two or more bathrooms.

The size of the Alpha E-TEC 30S

The Alpha E-TEC 30S boiler measures TBC mm [H] x TBC mm [W] x TBC mm [D] in size.

E-TEC 30S – condensing or non-condensing?

Condensing boilers like the Alpha E-TEC 30S improve energy efficiency and reduce your annual expenditure on gas.

They do this by capturing and recycling the warmth still present in water vapour condensation and flue exhaust gases to, for example, increase the temperature of the colder water returning from your radiators.

Condensing boilers are also much better for the environment because they emit fewer greenhouse gases.

Is the Alpha E-TEC 30S system good for the environment?

As more of us become concerned by the effects of climate change, the damage we do to the environment by heating our homes has emerged as an important issue for many homeowners.

We generate 14% of UK greenhouse gas emissions through centrally heating our domestic properties. Gas boilers are mainly responsible for harmful nitrogen dioxide emissions in larger British cities.

Would choosing the Alpha E-TEC 30S system boiler be an environmentally friendly decision? Here's what the figures say.

All boilers manufactured in the UK from April 2018 must achieve a SEDBUK “A” grade and an energy efficiency rating of 92% or above. Before that, the minimum was 88% - efficiency ratings of 88% and 89% were scored a “B” and 90%+ an "A".

A boiler's energy efficiency rating describes how much energy it uses and wastes during its standard operation.

The energy efficiency of the Alpha E-TEC 30S was rated at 93% with a SEDBUK grading of "A".

In 2015, the Energy Related Products Directive (ERP) came into force. The legislation applies to all products that consume energy - in production, during their active life, and at the point of final disposal.

The ERP was introduced to incentivise manufacturers to create products that emit fewer harmful gases with the larger aim of protecting the wider environment.

The Alpha E-TEC 30S has been awarded an ERP rating of "A".

Am I covered if the Alpha E-TEC 30S system boiler breaks down?

The Alpha E-TEC 30S is covered by a parts and labour warranty of 10 years following installation.