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Leak in the underfloor heating system

andrefff 28608 12
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  • #1 15682690
    andrefff
    Level 36  
    Posts: 2719
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    Hello. How to locate a leak in underfloor heating? I will add that the terracotta is already laid.
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  • #2 15682870
    pawel.commandos
    Level 17  
    Posts: 168
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    hammer the floor ....
    I'm sorry.....
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    #3 15682899
    dziubek102
    Heating systems specialist  
    Posts: 841
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    1. You have to be sure there is a leak. Pressure losses do not necessarily mean a hole. 24h air test will give a reliable result.
    2. work on the floor dilatations of the collapse of the connection? these are points to check

    3. in the case of a large loss of pressure, it is possible to use the air listening method.

    you are an electrician pour brine and measure resistances on the surface using the method of measuring the stationary resistance of the brine circuit -> floor not perfect and difficult, but possible to implement.
  • #4 15683075
    andrefff
    Level 36  
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    3 goes very far in 11 seconds from the 30 m loop.
  • #5 15683245
    dement
    Level 13  
    Posts: 140
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    Maybe a thermal imaging camera ...
  • #6 15683488
    mitsurugi
    Level 25  
    Posts: 526
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    If you have a manifold with valves (or flow meters), turn individual loops one by one and watch the pressure gauge. This takes time to locate the area and later preferably a thermal camera. The method is time-consuming, but in my opinion the least invasive. If there is a leak, you cannot avoid the devastation of the floor. Proven method.
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  • #7 15683520
    vodiczka
    Level 43  
    Posts: 30216
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    If there is a leak, a wet spot will appear on the underside of the floor, allowing for an approximate location of the leak, ineffective for the ground floor without a basement. :cry:
    dziubek102 wrote:
    24h air test will give a reliable result.
    Before covering the wires, a 24-hour water test should be performed, to be sure, repeated after making the screed.
    I don't have much confidence in the air one.

    A small offtopic about the appearance of a stain:
    At a neighbor's room on the ground floor (a pre-war brick multi-family building), a stain appeared on the wall, the source of which could not be located. There were no water and sewage pipes in the vicinity. The stain initially widened and stabilized after a few weeks. The neighbor, having no choice, started "forging a stain". He reached the water pipes in the neighboring (!) House. The houses stand next to each other and, as it turned out, they have a common (!) Wall. In the neighboring house, the pipe supplied the bathroom and the wall and floor tiles were so tight that the owner of the bathroom did not have the slightest leakage.
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  • #8 15684629
    dziubek102
    Heating systems specialist  
    Posts: 841
    Help: 69
    Rate: 244
    And I do not trust water, all places that are messed up by the installer, especially the seals with hemp on screw fittings, etc., are clogged with water. (tow swell and, for example for gas, they can give a deceptive feeling of tightness).
    As mitsuruga's colleague wrote, a thermal imaging camera will be the best, you will have a large, cool stain on the floor.
    For floor tiles, it is good to have pipes removed before pouring, you can see where there are transitions, dilatations and connections, (which should not be) drilling within the floor.
    IMO, if you know where there are dilatations, floor cracks, pass through walls, look there. On a large, stable surface, nothing will happen, sooner the pipe will break or cut where there may be some tensile or shear forces.
    And you definitely need to locate the perimeter of the floor, which you can do quickly.
  • #9 15686814
    vodiczka
    Level 43  
    Posts: 30216
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    dziubek102 wrote:
    And I do not trust water, all places that are messed up by the installer, especially the seals with hemp on screw fittings, etc., are clogged with water. (tow swell and, for example for gas, they can give a deceptive feeling of tightness).

    Is there gas or water circulating in the floor heating? If the tow is installed correctly where it can be used, the seal will last for years, if not, the connector will sweat and feel when you touch your hand. In addition, gas, unlike liquid, is compressible and when it is pumped into a large-volume installation, the minimum leakage in one place may not cause a noticeable drop in pressure, even after 24 hours. With a water test, you will detect minimal leakage after a few - several minutes and a large leak after several seconds.
  • #10 15688136
    dziubek102
    Heating systems specialist  
    Posts: 841
    Help: 69
    Rate: 244
    Well, the leak floods the floor and the insulation, so everything to be torn off. As for gas, I gave an example, the gas will leak where the water camouflages the leak. Often, using foam to control gas leaks, I sealed the tow after 3-4 minutes. Everything's okay, but it's a shame.
    In the author's case, the water test at this stage does not make sense and he will not see it, everything flies into insulation, a large air leak can hear :P and therein lies a possible solution.
  • #11 15688690
    PchlaW81
    Level 31  
    Posts: 2066
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    We used to look for such an air leak, only that the leak was on the first floor, and from the bottom on the ground floor under the suspended ceiling there was a wooden ceiling, and after cutting a hole with a suitable tool, we connected the pex with a connector. The quick assembly pin was screwed centrally into the tube.
  • #12 15690631
    irus.m
    Heating systems specialist  
    Posts: 1248
    Help: 122
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    In my experience.
    After many attempts to locate it without leakage, I applied a Bims sealant. After three weeks it sealed up. It always worked. Effectively in three cases, including in an industrial boiler room. He's for three years.

    greetings
  • #13 15690862
    marekon
    Level 19  
    Posts: 331
    Help: 31
    Rate: 148
    I localized a few such leaks with a thermal imaging camera. The accuracy is very high. And small losses during repair, I recommend.
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Topic summary

✨ To locate a leak in an underfloor heating system with terracotta already laid, several methods can be employed. First, confirm the presence of a leak through a 24-hour air test or by monitoring pressure losses. If a significant pressure drop is detected, the air listening method may be useful. Utilizing a thermal imaging camera can help identify wet spots or temperature differences on the floor surface, indicating potential leak locations. Another approach involves checking individual loops via a manifold with valves to observe pressure changes. If a leak is suspected, a wet spot may appear on the underside of the floor, although this is less effective for ground floors without basements. It is crucial to inspect areas where connections and dilatations occur, as these are common leak points. In some cases, a Bims sealant has been reported to effectively seal leaks after application. Overall, while some methods may be invasive, they are often necessary to accurately locate and address leaks in underfloor heating systems.
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