New boiler - Alpha or Vaillant? Please help

devildog

Family member had an alpha fitted approx 2 1/2 years ago and they have had nothing but trouble with it and the service engineers.

aboard_epsilon

Please don't say :- "so and so condensing boiler is brilliant" until you've had at least 5 years trouble free operation out of it...then you're aloud to say it ..shout it even.

because from the reading I've done,plumbers Ive talked to..it looks like there are very few condensing boilers that go for more than 4 years without lots of money being spent on them.

so to say so and so is brilliant before 5 years up ..is a false hope .

all the best.markj

Energyman2020

aboard_epsilon wrote: »

Please don't say :- "so and so condensing boiler is brilliant" until you've had at least 5 years trouble free operation out of it...then you're aloud to say it ..shout it even.

because from the reading I've done,plumbers Ive talked to..it looks like there are very few condensing boilers that go for more than 4 years without lots of money being spent on them.

so to say so and so is brilliant before 5 years up ..is a false hope .

all the best.markj

It's law that all boilers HAVE to be condensing, so let's stop comparing them to non condensing boilers (same as all electronics nowadays). As we have to have condensing boilers it makes sense to keep with a reliable name you can trust e.g Vaillant

boots_babe

We got a new boiler last year and spent forever researching online, including MSE. Found it really hard as everyone has their own individual recommendations and experiences.

However, after much research, the conclusion was that the most commonly recommended brands were Vaillant and Veissman. We ended up getting a Vaillant - obviously can't comment on how good it is yet as not had it long. However there was an issue just after fitting, and we called out Vaillant under the warranty.

They were brilliant. Sorted the issue even though it was due to something the fitter had not done correctly. They should have charged us but said as goodwill they would do it at no cost, so very happy with the service from Vaillant based on that so far.

aboard_epsilon

the most commonly recommended brands were Vaillant and Veissman

Trouble is... common to them are the same 3 or 4 people recommending them.

They may be good (as in just get past five years) ..and others makes may be bad ..(as in !!!!!! up strait away)

Me.. i would like to buy one of the old non condensing 75 percent efficient ..long life, go forever boilers ....and think we should be given the choice to buy one of these.

All the best.Markj

boots_babe

aboard_epsilon wrote: »

Trouble is... common to them are the same 3 or 4 people recommending them.

Well I wouldn't really say that, as I say we spent many many hours researching and found that lots of people (from different backgrounds e.g. as a fitter, a customer) recommended these 2 brands. It definitely wasn't just a handful of people.

We did also see recommendations for other brands, which are probably perfectly fine too. We just wanted to be extra cautious which is why we took the modal approach to our statistics gathering

PaulHUK

langsmith wrote: »

My brother fits boilers & swears by Alpha boilers, reason... customers service + support etc. is way way better !

I myself have a Glowworm Flexicom boiler, nothing but trouble each year from new. Will never have one fitted again, and yes you guessed it, Vaillant own Glowworm !

He has been on site with a customer before, explained issue, and Alpha arranged for a new boiler to be on site the very next morning 10am, That's service !!! With Glowworm, they replace parts, causing more downtime to you as a customer and take + 2 days to be on site if lucky. They have been out every year for the last 3 years to mine.

My last boiler was in the house for over 27 years, that only broke down once in the time I've lived in my house, 16 years.

Today, I know which I would have in the same situation.

I too have a Glowworm Flexicom. Now maybe 9 months old. After fitting we occasionally had to press the reset button but it settled down. We have the condensate pipe going outside which froze solid in the minus 7 degrees winter nights (not uncommon I believe and we just disconnected at a join outside and emptied a bucket each day) but we had no other issues until last week when we had no hot water.

Boiler keeps displaying fault code 11. So we reset most days since and I contacted our installer who in turn got Vaillant/GlowWorm to call me mid week and we booked an engineer visit for this morning.

I was expecting the promissed phone call between 8am and 9am. Nothing.

Ten past nine I called them. After explaining who I was etc I was put o hold, then cut off. A moment later a call came in from the call centre to say the engineer is off sick today, hence no call before 9am.

It will now be Monday before they attend to fix their faulty product. Great. More shouts to me from the other inhabitants of this home about the boiler we chose to get fitted... Only now it is not about the product quality, it's the level of service from this company which is the fault.

So, despite the boiler being less than 5 years old, my experience is "Not Great" and worse than that, I'd not recommend Vaillant/GlowWorm because when there is a fault apparently "We only have one engineer working on Saturdays".

Interestingly, the GlowWorm website say they use their own engineers and HomeServe for their extended warranty cover arrangements. In a quick call to HomeServe this morning, they suggest they do have engineers working today in my area or they could come out on Sunday if I paid them for it. Obviously I want the free warranty service I am entitled to though. Vaillant GlowWorm say Monday, so now my Bank Holiday Monday plans will depend on the time they want access to it.

Purely on service levels, I'd currently advise against Vaillant GlowWorm. I will update if they do as they say they will and come to my home if there is a cancellation today (though just now I suddenly think: How can one sick engineer can have a cancellation and be able to come to my home?!? ..."Oh what a tangled web we weave"?)

tsb

If you can get 7years parts and labour on a new boiler than its a no-brainer really. If a company is willing to guarantee their boiler for 7 years it must have confidence in their product.
I'd guarantee that there isn't a boiler on the market that won't go wrong over 7 years.

27col

tsb wrote: »

If you can get 7years parts and labour on a new boiler than its a no-brainer really. If a company is willing to guarantee their boiler for 7 years it must have confidence in their product.
I'd guarantee that there isn't a boiler on the market that won't go wrong over 7 years.

Bit of a sweeping statement, that one. Our Gloworm is in it's 12th year and has never missed a beat. Having said that, it probably will fail next week.

aboard_epsilon

27col wrote: »

Bit of a sweeping statement, that one. Our Gloworm is in it's 12th year and has never missed a beat. Having said that, it probably will fail next week.

is your glow worm a condensing boiler ..because that is what we are talking about here ..

all the best.markj