HELP! central heating pip leak????

[dazbear]

I need a bit of advice as my plumber has gone quiet on me!

I had a long term leak in the garage roof which got real bad during the Spring wet weather this year. Found the front room carpet wet in July, so assumed it was to do with that and had a new roof installed.

However the front room carpet was not drying out. I asked a surveyor who said I needed to wait a good couple of months......which I did, but still wet carpets 8 weeks on!

Another surveyor then suggested a leaking CH pipe under the concrete floor. So I started an insurance claim and a plumber came out - however he said he thought the floor was still drying out and to get a dehumidifier and turn the heating up full blast.

Doing so has given some more info.....when I put the heating on and the lounge rad is hot, no wet floor. As soon as I turn down the therm, the lounge rad goes cold very quickly and I get small puddles - however the water is cold?!?!?! As soon as I switch the heating up - dry floor.

My plumber says it is simply the heat drying out the floor.....or is this a leak!

HELP! As I have a gravity central heating system this could go on for ever!

THANKS

D

 

[doitall]

Gravity heating as in no pump.

Of course its a leak, and not necessarily where the water is, could be costly trying to find it as the water will pool in the low spots.

If it really is a gravity system, then it will be very old and may need re-piping completely.

When you mention carpets, the grippers around the edge quite often nail a pipe or two.

 

[dazbear]

Its a 1974 house with pipes next to concrete - not a great mix. The issue is that the insurance company wont pay for any replacement pipe work - only to dig the hole and fill it in.

Best solution would be to cap off the old concrete/pipework mix and drop down new pipes from the loft. As this would ALL be pipe work the insurance wont shell out.

Can I ask why the floor is dry when the heating is on and puddles when off? There is a pump - wouldnt a leaking pipe be worse with the heating on and water being pushed around the system????

Thanks for your help

 

[doitall]

A leak is always worse when cold, plus the heat dries it out.

 

[dazbear]

Ok - I filled up the small header tank last night and just checked it - its almost empty.

As my plumber doesnt seem that interested - is it worth trying adding a sealer to the system ?

 

[doitall]

No, it wont last.

Best place to look is where the tails come out of the floor into the radiator valves.

 

[dazbear]

The puddles are in the middle of the lounge floor, no where near the radiators themselves.

I do know there are pipes there though as that part of the floor gets warm.

Will ring the plumber again on Monday - sigh. I know he is doing a bathroom all next week, so wont be around for quite a while.

Sounds like I should keep the heating on low in the meantime to keep the leak to a minimum.

 

[doitall]

It could still be leaking near a radiator, and the water running to the low spot.

Suggest to the insurance rip=-off, that if they damage the pipe digging the floor up you would expect them to replace it at their cost..

 

[dazbear]

They are adamant that fixing the issue is not covered - just the finding and putting right. They also expect me to have a big hole in the middle of my lounge for at least 5 days while they "consider" a quote for filling it in. Doesn't sound very safety conscious for my kids!

I think I may just pay myself for Option 2 and route around the problem. I am concerned that I may end up in a similar situation in a couple of years as another section of pipe next to concrete gives up!

I did a similar think with the gas piping and it only cost 500 pounds, so assuming will be a similar amount.

 

[doitall]

Long term it would certainly be better to replace.