Alpha Boiler - what do you think?

[MickBrown]

My mum is in her 80's, if she knows a tradesman then she would trust them and if they recommended something then she would assume they were right.
Her current boiler is an Alpha, installed in Nov 2001 by a father and son plumbing company. Every year they serviced it, the father has now retired and it is just the son that does everything. In May last year the son came and did a power flush, fitted a magnaclean and changed the diverter valve. This was in response to a request from my mum as she had a problem, however she cannot remember what the problem was. In July last year he came and did the annual service. For some time since then my mum, she cannot remember how long, has had a problem with her hot water, she needs her heating on to get hot water and after a few minutes it runs cold. A couple of weeks back the plumber did the annual service and my mum mentioned the hot water problem to him, so besides doing the service and cleaning the magnaclean he changed the diverter valve again. He charged £275 plus VAT, however the problem still exists.
He also said it was about time she had a new boiler (9 years old), he sent a quote for just over £1900 plus VAT. This includeds flushing the system, he doesn't mention power flush but I am going to ask him if this is what he means. It also includes a fernox TF1 filter, Magnaclean already fitted last year!
I plan to talk to him but would like some to hear some of the forum members views.

 

[tamz]

Most likely the boiler needs a new diaphragm.

The boiler should not need replaced at 9 years old and if there is already a magnaclean fitted and it is still in good condition there would be no need to fit a TF1.

Maybe you should get a second opinion.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

i agree with tamz

 

[moogwai]

and don't alpha include the tf1's with their boilers now?? i agree with the above.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

yes they do seen the tfi ad in gas engineer

 

[MickBrown]

Thanks for the replies. In the documentation with the boiler there is a fault diagnosis flow chart, with the symptoms I (as a non heating engineer) followed the chart and one possibility is the diaphragm. Non of the possibilities say the diverter valve, one possibility says checking a rod from the diverter valve.
After paying out over £500 last year and nearly £300 this year and then being told she needs a new boiler at a cost of nearly £2400 with VAT even my mum began to doubt the integrity of her plumber and she is getting a second opinion. Maybe as Alpha are supplying the TF1 with each boiler that is the reason he has said that. I still do not understand though why he has said she needs a new boiler, other than this hot water problem it runs fine. In addition the boiler he has quoted costs around £600 (she has a small bungalow so small boiler), so charging over £1300 to fit it seems excessive anyway.