What type of boiler is the Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33?

Alpha’s E-TEC PLUS 33 is one you might consider if you’re looking for a combi boiler for your house or flat.

Boilers traditionally required the installation of one or more large tanks around your property. These were filled with water that was either being heated or was to be heated later. British homes are among the smallest in the world so, to solve the space problem, manufacturers introduced combi boilers in the 1970s to offer homeowners the warmth and hot water supply they needed while taking up much less space.

A combi boiler is designed to heat both radiators and taps on demand and at the same time. Water from the mains passes through a combi boiler and the boiler's technology instantly turns it into hot water. Your boiler then distributes the hot water throughout your home.

The main disadvantage of combi boilers is that they have a maximum water volume capacity. What this means is that, if one person is using the shower while another uses a hot tap simultaneously, less water gets to each area, resulting in a fall in water pressure at both points.

Would the Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 combi be a suitable boiler for my house or flat?

Whether this Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 Combi boiler is right for where you live depends on its size or "output" level. Size does not mean its physical dimensions, however - it means how powerful it is.

Measured in kilowatts, a boiler's output level is an indication of the amount of power it has available to it to heat the water coming from your taps and for warming your radiators. The greater the output level, the more water it can heat.

If you choose a boiler whose output level is too low, you'll often find that the water is not as hot as you want it to be. If you choose a boiler whose level is too high, you'll be paying higher gas bills than you need to for years to come.

The output of the Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 combi is 29 kW, so which types of property is this Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 Combi boiler appropriate for?

Most experienced boiler engineers would recommend that this Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 Combi boiler would be suitable for medium-sized homes and larger apartments with 10-15 radiators and two bathrooms.

Flow rates are important when choosing a combi boiler as well as output rates.

A combi boiler's flow rate (measured in litres per minute) describes how much water it can instantly heat then distribute to the taps and radiators in your home - you will need to factor this into your decision on a new combi boiler. This Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 Combi boiler's flow rate is 14 L/m.

If you have a lot of radiators and bathrooms in your home and there's lots of demand within your household for hot water at the same time (like morning or evening showers and baths), you'll need a boiler with a high flow rate.

However, it's not quite that simple. If your local mains water pressure is low, you're not going to gain any benefit from choosing a combi boiler with a high flow rate because that higher flow rate doesn't mean it can draw more water from the mains pipes.
When our engineer comes out to quote you, they may recommend that you choose a heat only boiler or system boiler instead if your family's demand for hot water is higher than normal.

Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 size

The dimensions of the Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 are TBC mm [H] x TBC mm [W] x TBC mm [D].

Is the Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 non-condensing or condensing?

We recommend that you select a condensing boiler like the Alpha E-TEC PLUS gas Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 for your home if possible because of the environmental benefits and the money you'll save on your gas bills.

Condensing boilers are much more energy-efficient than older, non-condensing models as they capture and recycle the heat still present in the water vapour condensation and flue exhaust gases that your boiler creates when burning gas for reuse.

Is the Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 combi an energy-efficient boiler?

How we heat our homes and the damage we might be doing to the environment as a result has become an important point of concern to many homeowners worried about climate change.

In the UK, central heating is responsible for 14% of greenhouse gas production. Domestic gas boilers emit large quantities of nitrogen dioxide in British cities.

Would installing a Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 combi boiler in your home help combat climate change? What do the figures suggest?

All boilers manufactured after April 2018 in the UK must be rated as an “A” on the SEDBUK grading system, subject to a minimum energy efficiency rating of 92% or above. Before that, the minimum rate was 88% - boilers with an energy efficiency of 88% or 89% were given a “B” rating. Boilers scoring 90% or more were given an "A" rating.

The energy efficiency rating for a boiler describes the amount of energy it uses and how much goes to waste in operation.

The Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 has an efficiency rating of 93% with a SEDBUK grade of "A".

The Energy Related Products (ERP) Directive is a European directive which applies to all products that consume energy over their lifetime.

It encourages companies to create products that are environmentally friendlier at all life cycle stages, including initial manufacturing and end use through to final disposal, with the aim of reducing harmful gas emissions.

The Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 is rated "A" for heat and "A" for water.

What warranty do I get if I purchase the Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 boiler?

The Alpha E-TEC PLUS 33 boiler comes with a 13 year warranty for parts and labour.