Is the Alpha ProTec Plus 115 boiler a standard, combi or system model?

The Alpha ProTec Plus 115 is an option you may wish to consider if you’re looking for a system boiler for your house or flat.

System boilers require a hot water cylinder to work (normally stored in an airing or landing cupboard) but, unlike heat only boilers, they do not require a cold water tank. This makes them more suitable for homes that do not have lofts, where attic space is limited or where a loft conversion is being considered.

You program your heating and hot water to come on via the control panel. But if you forget to set the timer, you will have to wait a while for the water to heat up. Hot water is stored in the cylinder for use throughout the day and can be distributed to multiple showers and taps at the same time without a loss of pressure or temperature (something combi boilers really struggle with). For this reason, a system boiler is a suitable option for large families and homes with more than one bathroom.

As no cold-water tank is needed with a system boiler and many major system components are built into it, this type of boiler can be easier to install than a standard boiler.

Would the Alpha ProTec Plus 115 system be a suitable boiler for my house or flat?

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 ProTec Plus 115 system is 121 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 ProTec Plus 115 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.

Alpha ProTec Plus 115 dimensions

The dimensions of the Alpha ProTec Plus 115 are TBC mm tall, TBC mm wide, and TBC mm deep.

Is this Alpha boiler condensing or non-condensing?

The Alpha ProTec Plus 115 is a condensing gas boiler - this is the type of boiler we recommend to most clients because they're better for the environment and they will save money on annual fuel bills.

A condensing boiler captures and recycles the warmth still present in both the flue exhaust gases and water vapour condensation created when gas is burned to provide your boiler with power.

This means it needs less gas to operate and it uses this extra energy to perform a number of tasks, including heating the colder water that comes back to the boiler from the radiators in your home.

How energy efficient is the Alpha ProTec Plus 115 system boiler?

Many homeowners are becoming increasingly concerned about how they heat their homes and the impact it has on climate change and other important environmental issues.

The power we need for our central heating systems accounts for around 14% of the UK’s greenhouse gas production. There are often dangerous levels of ambient nitrogen dioxide gases in the atmospheres of British cities because of our use of gas boilers.

Would installing a Alpha ProTec Plus 115 system boiler in your home help combat climate change? What do the figures suggest?

Boilers manufactured or supplied to UK domestic properties must achieve a legal minimum energy efficiency rating of 92% (equivalent to a good "A" grade using the SEDBUK scale). Prior to this, the minimum was 88% (88% and 89% are a "B" SEDBUK grade and anything 90% or above is an "A" grade).

The energy efficiency rating of a boiler refers to the amount of energy it uses to perform its everyday functions as well as the amount of energy it wastes.

The Alpha ProTec Plus 115 has been given a rating of 92% for energy efficiency, equivalent to a SEDBUK "A" rating.

The ERP (or Energy Related Products Directive) is European legislation affecting products that consume energy throughout their lifetime.

The aim is to encourage companies to create environmentally friendlier products that reduce harmful gas emissions during manufacturing and when in use by the end client, right through to their eventual disposal.

In the case of the Alpha ProTec Plus 115, the ERP rating is "A".

If the Alpha ProTec Plus 115 system boiler breaks down, am I covered?

Alpha’s ProTec Plus 115 boiler includes a parts and labour warranty of 5 years.