UFH

[nod]

We have a bit of a dilemma Currently we are weather tight with windows and external door all in

We had planed to have UFH and screed installed prior to first fix electrics and plumbing

Looking at the UFH company's literature it states not to let the internal temperature drop below 3 degrees I was only fit the boiler prior to moving in around Easter time

So this would leave the house without heat for most of the winter

Boilers are very easy picking for thief's So I would like to delay with that as long as possible

Ive seen builds on tv were UFH has been installed in the slab

Can it be drained off after testing

Any thoughts would be most welcome

   Gary 

[ProDave]

Fill UFH pipes with inhibitor / antfreeze

 

Assuming it's insulated under the slab and the walls and roof are insulated I can't see it getting cold enough to freeze anyway.  Plenty up here leave the slab over winter with UFH pipes then build the house on the slab in the spring, and it never seems to come to harm.

[nod]

11 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Fill UFH pipes with inhibitor / antfreeze

 

Assuming it's insulated under the slab and the walls and roof are insulated I can't see it getting cold enough to freeze anyway.  Plenty up here leave the slab over winter with UFH pipes then build the house on the slab in the spring, and it never seems to come to harm.

That's a good suggestion Dave The floor is a block and beam cavitys fully filled There will be 150 kingspan then UFH 75 mil screed

[ProDave]

Alternatively don't put any water in the pipes at all. My plumber friend leak tests pipework by pumping it up with air.

[billt]

I think your plumber friend is ill advised.

 

"Pressure testing of pipelines should normally be carried out using water. Only in exceptional circumstances should pneumatic
pressure testing using compressed inert
gas or air be used, and then only under
carefully controlled conditions. The
reason for this is because water is
virtually incompressible (as are other
liquids) and only a small quantity of
energy needs to be introduced to
increase the pressure significantly. Air,
however, (like all gases) is compressible
and, as a result, much more energy has to
be put into the gas to raise its pressure.
In fact, at the pressure ranges normally
used for testing water-piping systems 200
times more energy is stored in
compressed gas compared to water at
the same pressure and volume. So,
should a joint, pipe, or any other
component fail under test pressure
when using compressed gas, the energy
can be released with deadly force!"

[dpmiller]

Being involved with air compressors and autoclaves I'd have to agree with @billt. never mind water reducing the chances of the pipes floating up in the screed.

[Nickfromwales]

If you want some heat, buy a Willis heater and link it up to the manifold with some SPEEDFIT. Job done, and you can work in comfort. . That plus antifreeze inhibitor if your in a bitter climate, ( but prodaves testimony really renders that pointless ). 

[Onoff]

My bathroom loop; I just sucked the water out with a wet vac after testing (left for months at 3bar) and taped the ends up. 

[nod]

Thanks for all the quick reply's  I will let you know how I get on