Grandalf Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) I've got a leak from my central heating system. Seems to be under the concrete floor of the house. Got to find it then repair it. Anyone used Polygon Leak Detection Services? Edited October 31, 2012 by Grandalf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 just be sure its from the c/heating before you go digging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds chimp Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 why dont you just cast a spell instead?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super sharp shooter Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 If you leave it you will get a small flight pond you can shoot over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 None of your insurances cover it? Long story short, I had a similar problem and discovered that a clause in my house insurance(which I`d paid for unwittingly) actually covered it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n11tht Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 check your home insurance, if you cover called trace and accessing leaks, that will cover it. usually the cover limit is £5000 and that is to find a leak a put right after i.e. leaving no evidence that the floor has been taken up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 If you've got copper pipes buried in the concrete screed unprotected you'll be wasting your time finding and fixing the leak. The copper will gradually keep going all over the place as the screed eats through it. Time to bite the bullet and either have the ground floor heating re-layed in channels cut into the screed, or surface mount the pipework in drops from the first floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted October 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Thanks for all the advice chaps. My insurance does not cover it. I have tried. No damage so no cover. Had to change the boiler a while ago - now a pressurised system. That is what has probably caused the problem. I know it is going from the central heating system because I have to top it up every day. No signs of where it is going - Just running to earth under the slab. Plumber, a good friend, has isolated it down to beneath the floor. Concrete floor throughout. Polygon are coming on Tuesday whith their bag of gizmos. Should be able to find it. Hope it is only one leak. If we can repair it and it happens again well so be it. Cast a spell? I did that - the water meter has vanished! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz2202 Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Work out which pipe it is. Isolate it then re run it on surface Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted November 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 Work out which pipe it is. Isolate it then re run it on surface And how do you do that then Two pipes come out of the boiler - supply and return. They go into the concrete... I have traced out where the pipes go under the floor with my metal detector. How do you know where the leak is? That's why I have the specialists coming in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuffy Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 we used one of them heat detector things to find leaks ended up replacing the lot after the event ALL THE EXPERTS appeared to tell us we should have changed the lot when we changed to a pressurised system . funny that they all had naff all to say earlier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 We ended up surfacing running our heating pipes due to them running in the concrete floor. Luckally there was a point where the plumbers could cut the pipes before they dissapeared into the concrete and was able to then run the new pipes. Changed from gaverty feed system to pressurised combi boiler and that found the weakness in the pipe work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 my mate has had this happen twice now, copper micro bore central heating pipe buried straight into concrete screed, its an accident waiting to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonk69 Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 hi fella i done a repair in one of these situations, is there no sign of water in the screed?? if its leaking it should be visable the pipes will be in the sceed not the concrete, it will mean having all your carpets up, find the wet patch break out the screed find the leak and replace the pipe, but a sensible solution would be to replace the lot with surface or plastic under the screed, cheers matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 Had the same problem. The back boiler had developed a leak, and the whole fireplace had to come out to get it sorted. The system was changed and a new boiler was put in, but the expansion tank also developed a problem, causing a loss of pressure in the system. About 2 bar in 12 hours roughly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Mongrel- Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 And how do you do that then Two pipes come out of the boiler - supply and return. They go into the concrete... I have traced out where the pipes go under the floor with my metal detector. How do you know where the leak is? As far as I know, if there's no visible evidence, you don't know. I'll be very interested to hear how they do locate the area assuming thay can. I'm thinking maybe taking damp readings or similar? Let us know please, it could save me a lot of time in the future, digging pipes out of screed until you find it (by which time it is generally best to do it all anyway as has been said). Had the same problem. The back boiler had developed a leak, and the whole fireplace had to come out to get it sorted. The system was changed and a new boiler was put in, but the expansion tank also developed a problem, causing a loss of pressure in the system. About 2 bar in 12 hours roughly. That will have been the expansion vessel, water loss being through a safety valve. relatively easy and inexpensive to repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonk69 Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 if you have a leak in the pipes under the screed it will definately be notiable especially if you are losing pressure each day, matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 None of your insurances cover it? Long story short, I had a similar problem and discovered that a clause in my house insurance(which I`d paid for unwittingly) actually covered it. Yes friend your insurance should cover it. Escape of water from a water service pipe. let me know if I can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted November 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Gentlemen, Thank you for all the help and advice. You can see the comments above and I have received PM's as well. I will talk to the insurance company again tomorrow. The detection company are coming on Tuesday. They use thermal imaging and a whole bunch of other things. They did a similar job on a house down the road and it worked out OK. If they can find the leak spot OK then we will dig and repair. If it leaks again we will repipe the lot. No idea what the state of the pipework is. One good thing is that the plumber I am using is: a) A local from the village. B) A friend for 30 years. Just a pity that we decided to sell the house and downsize just three weeks ago... Ah well, such is life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonk69 Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 good luck fella., cheers matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted November 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Gentlemen, Apologies for delay. Been dealing with other problems. Update on water leak - Man arrived from Polygon with a van load of magic art equipment. Used thermal imaging and damp detectors. (I had already traced layout of pipework with my metal detector). Heating had been on full blast for three hours as per their request. One leak only found. Luckily beneath a radiator in the lounge - Not in centre of flooor. (Under telly). Dug small hole to expose pipework. Thought it would be the joint but found it was a pinprick hole in half-inch pipe 6" away from joint. We think a stone, or similar, in the screed has been rubbing against the pipe for the last 40 years. With expansion and contraction it had scored a quarter inch cutlike mark on the pipe which had eventually gone right through. 'Cut' mark was very bright and new looking. Rest of the pipe looks in good condition - I'm glad to say. No damage to structure as far as we could see. It is a very old clay-lump house with no proper foundations as we would put in today. Escaping water had run into screed. Plumber fitted new section of pipe including joints up to the radiator and pressure has held good for last six days. My fingers are still crossed. Polygon fee was an upfront payment of £474. (Two hour drive from Huntingdon to my place). Guy was very professional and well experienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 (edited) expensive but what price peace of mind - just in time for Christmas - all the best. Edited November 14, 2012 by Kes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted November 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 expensive but what price peace of mind - just in time for Christmas - all the best. Christmas! Bah humbug! Not in this house. Me and the Memsahib gave it up 18 years ago. This is the only sane house in North Suffolk at that time of the year. Grandchildren get money - their idea - and that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Polygon do a lot of flood restoration work - some insurance companies use them to increase the salvage value of flood damaged cars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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