Feck - frozen ufh causing leaks?

[Moonshine]

My build is getting cold at night and ufh pipes are in, water is in them up to a pressure of one bar.

Water in hose pipes are frozen and just checked in my build.

I am seeing wet spots on the screed, unless it's my trades spilling thier teas it really looks like the ufh is leaking, feck.

 

 

[crispy_wafer]

anything above dripping condensation?

[Mr Punter]

The pipes are really strong.  Unless the temperature indoors got really low I don't think it could be leaking pipework.  Can you see if they are frozen at the manifold?

Edited December 12, 2022 by Mr Punter

[Moonshine]

6 minutes ago, crispy_wafer said:

anything above dripping condensation?

 

No, shouldn't be

[Moonshine]

13 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

The pipes are really strong.  Unless the temperature indoors got really low I don't think it could be leaking pipework.  Can you see if they are frozen at the manifold?

 

The indoors is cold, as it hasn't got a couple of external doors fitted.

 

I will try the drain valve and see if anything comes out, though that doesn't mean to say its not frozen elsewhere 

 

Edit: released the drain values on the inlet and out let of the manifold quite a lot, only a low flow came out of each. Gut says it's all pretty much frozen.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Moonshine

[Mr Punter]

Could just be some soggy materials left in a dumpy bag?

[Radian]

Blow some heat on it to dry it out - then wait and see.

[Moonshine]

2 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

Could just be some soggy materials left in a dumpy bag?

 

Fingers crossed 

[Moonshine]

Just now, Radian said:

Blow some heat on it to dry it out - then wait and see.

 

Right nicking my misses hair drier

[NSS]

Is there no antifreeze in the pipes?

[Moonshine]

12 minutes ago, NSS said:

Is there no antifreeze in the pipes?

 

No I don't believe plumber put any in, it was filled a while back when it was really hot.

Though the plumber has been back over the last few weeks doing first fix plumbing when it was really cold, never mentioned anything or putting antifreeze in.

[Moonshine]

21 minutes ago, Radian said:

Blow some heat on it to dry it out - then wait and see.

 

Used the hairdryer on a damp spot.

 

 

After a few minutes the surface seems dry, now we wait.

 

[Radian]

Good thinking to mark out the outline of the corpse wet patch on the floor. Are the drain valves still open? 

[Moonshine]

9 minutes ago, Radian said:

Good thinking to mark out the outline of the corpse wet patch on the floor. Are the drain valves still open? 

 

Just gone back in, wet patches have returned (there are about 4 locations), f$%k.

 

I just opened them so a short while and closed them back up.

 

[Radian]

At least you know where to dig 😧

[PeterW]

Put plastic over them - if there is a drip from above the plastic will catch it 

[Moonshine]

1 minute ago, PeterW said:

Put plastic over them - if there is a drip from above the plastic will catch it 

 

Absolutely bone dry above them, I am watertight other than two external doors

[dpmiller]

do it anyway, just in case!

[Andehh]

(expletive deleted) me if I don't sleep a wink tonight. Exact same stage of build with pipes in and most windows in.... Where in the country are you? 

[Moonshine]

1 minute ago, Andehh said:

(expletive deleted) me if I don't sleep a wink tonight. Exact same stage of build with pipes in and most windows in.... Where in the country are you? 

 

South west

[Andehh]

Welp, you arnt alone losing sleep tonight! Good luck to us both.

[ProDave]

I would be surprised if it has frozen.  Much colder here and our unheated sun room has not gone below 2C yet.

[Adsibob]

Wow @Moonshine, I really feel for you. I think you should get your plumber to fix it for free. He’s really (expletive deleted)ed up here.

[Alan Ambrose]

How about blowing all the water out with air and then pressure testing it again?

 

Alan

[Bonner]

12 hours ago, Moonshine said:

Water in hose pipes are frozen and just checked

 

What exactly makes you think it has frozen?  You’ve got water coming out of the manifolds which will be colder than in screed. Also you had 1 bar of pressure. If it has frozen, you might expect the pressure either off the scale due to expansion, or zero if it’s leaking (although it depends if and where an ice plug may have formed). I would be surprised if it has frozen and even more surprised if UFH pipe has burst.