Locate radiant piping?

Gordy

You can buy a cheap 50.00 IR thermometer at radio shack.
Do you have electric , or hydronic radiant?

Either way like Weezbo says run it across the ceiling in both directions ( with the heat on) to get the just of pipe or wire orientation. The peak temp will be the center of the pipe or wire.

I have ceiling radiant in plaster, and this is how I found all my pipes. I was doing the same as you installing lighting boxes. The IR thermometer will come in handy for other uses also.


Gordy

Stephen Howe

Locate radiant piping?

How can I know where radiant piping is in a drywall ceiling? I have an elaborate lighting system to install.

Weezbo

best way is hire someone with the tools and instruments

to do so.


slightly more unreliable way may be to shut off all heat to the area for a day and at 4 a.m. get up turn the heat on only to that zone. have a pencil or marker in your hand note the room temps and ceiling temps and as the ceiling panel begins to show spots of heat on a IR gun put small circles on those spots as the day goes longer , take more readings ..do the same noting higher as well as lower temp areas on the ceiling...connect the dots from warmest temps to coldest... that would be probably pretty much the way it goes.

GMcD

Infrared Camera

Rent or hire a FLIR camera and you can spot the pipes easily. Sure it costs a few bucks, but then you can be sure that you will miss the pipes. What's the potential cost of NOT finding the pipes properly?