Fixing Radiant Floor Leaks

My introduction into the art of leak detection in slab based hydronic radiant heating systems was in our town s version of levittown n y in an area called fireside.

Fixing radiant floor leaks.

Found a 1 2 pex pipe leaking in cement slab and jackhammer make repa. Repairing the damaged line is not that hard however. Home owners can then be faced with the cost and installation of a partial or whole new hvac system. Slab on grade homes with in.

How to fix leaking pipes under a slab foundation. If a hole s develops in one of the lines it can be a radiant floor disaster. For those of us with young knees there was also an old style hand crank like phone device with a contact pin sticking out its opposite end for direct contact with piping or the floor to listen for leaks. Many radiant heated floor systems have been shut down because of small line leaks that can t be found or fixed.

Common radiant floor heating repairs. Any hydronic system is susceptible to leaking and radiant floor heating is no different. This series article discusses the suitability of various tubing materials for radiant heated concrete floor slabs and choices of heat conducting fluids for radiant floors. What causes leaks in tubing or piping used for radiant heat in floor slabs and what repair options make sense when the radiant heat system is leaking.

Radiant heating involves pipes buried under your floor that circulate hot water from a boiler to keep your rooms pleasantly and evenly warmed throughout the winter. The closed loop copper or pex tube system of radiant floor heating makes them highly resistant to corrosion but not damage from outside stress such as sagging floorboards and cracked stones. We found a section of hot floor tiles while working on a toilet in the master bathroom. In this video you will learn about how often this happens and how to repair a punctured or leaking floor heating.

Locate repair patch or abandon basically those were the choices and many opted to cap off lone circuits. While most modern systems are built with tough pex pipes that won t develop cracks with age older systems used copper or steel pipes that were both prone to developing leaks after. Back then 1972 homes in fireside had radiant heating systems that were springing holes like a metal street sign sprayed with buckshot.