Leak in Underfloor Tubing?

PaulT

I have a 10 year-old hydronic in-floor heating system. Lately I have noticed some moisture discoloration of my wood floor joints in an area in the kitchen which I believe may be coming from a small leak in the pex tubing in the slab. Is there a way to test whether the leak is coming from the hydronic system this without removing the wood floor and jackhammering the slab?

MarkPFalade

Is,,,

the system losing pressure?



Can you isolate the floor tubing from the rest of the system?

Paul Pollets

Testing for leaks

PEX leaks in slab can be determined by isolating the radiant manifold and pressurizing to 50 or 60 PSI. If the gauge drops, there's a leak. To find out exactly where the leak is, testing can be done by either helium leak detection or with a thermographic infra-red camera. Leak detection services are usually available locally. Splices can be made, but you will have to remove the flooring and open up the slab, splice, repressurize and patch.

R8DIANT

DONT RIP UP YOUR WOOD FLOOR!

IS IT POSSIBLE TO ACCESS THAT AREA FROM BELOW?FROM YOUR BASEMENT OR FROM YOUR FIRST FLOOR IF THE LEAK IS ON THE SECOND FLOOR?

  I HAVE REPAIRED THESE TYPES OF LEAKS BY GOING THROUGH THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FLOOR WITHOUT  DAMAGING ANYTHING STRUCTUAL,ITS NOT ALWAYS EASY BUT WILL BE LESS COSTLY THEN REMOVING ANY WOOD FLOORS.

Unknown

Isolating & pressurizing will tell you,,,

if it`s the radiant side,, but if embedded in Gypcrete  I would think repairing from below, or ripping up the floor would be a toss-up expense wise.