floor heat leak

[mikeexpress]

I have a 8 bay wash that has the plastic hose for the floor heat in it and presently have 4 of the bays floor heat shut off on the return lines.My fluid level dropped so the boiler would not come on added 14 gals of fluid to bring back up to level.My question is is there a way to test to find out where the leak is at? I had heard on the forum about the fire department have a infa red type system to check things like this?. also what type of antifreeze chemical do you guys use in your systems?

 

[bigleo48]

Mike,

You need to pressurize each loop to see which ones are leaking (if any).

Polypropylene glycol is what you need to use. Typically mixed 3:1 with water.

 

[dreese]

Thermal imaging equipment is used by FD's to "see" hot spots in structures. The same can be done in a cold slab vs warm tubing runs. If your local FD does not have this capability or can't look due to restrictions, Google search "thermal imaging" and your town / closest bigger town. Many home inspectors have the needed equipment as well.

 

[acbruno]

Thermal imaging will find all your leaks. Pay the money and have a professional come out and take the pics. I had my 7-bay done for $250 last year and he found all three leaks no questions. I dug up the cement and patched all three last summer and no leaks so far. Another thought, when you pressure test the lines, go out to the bay and listen for a hissing noise. I found one break by accident that way at a expansion point between the front skirt and one of the bays.

 

[mjwalsh]

MikeExpress & others,

You said "plastic hose" it is PEX? From experience & from what I have been told that good Pex should never ever develop a leak in the concrete portion. I suppose that part of it could have had a deep enough nick or flaw in it before & while put in or whatever though. I suppose antifreeze running temps could have some bearing. Our running antifreeze temperature is less than 100 degrees Farenheit. Also our large Taco pump seems to be able to maintain flow even though zero pressure is always shown on the pressure gauge. I know that would be a no no for a lot of boilers but we are using a French made Spirex Heat Exchanger with the piping so it is indirect with the actual boilers for the most part. In our part of the world we need to protect the antifreeze water solution down to at least -40 Farenheit.

The point I want to make is that it seems wise to know exactly what was put in the cement "plastic hose" is kind of vague. I also wonder if there are different grades of PEX. Back in 1980 Huron Valley Herm Deal supplied us with black rolls of which I believe was the early days of PEX & I have wondered if the PEX has been improved. I know PEX is much more available now then back then & in at least one other color than black because we just got done extending the system to include more snowmelt for our new Dog Wash.

 

[mikeexpress]

running a little behind on replies but I got my floor heat fixed. I purchase a bottle of the product recommened on the forum and put it in my floor heat boiler system and ran it for 1 full day and shut it down. This winter I have not had to add any product at all. Just wanted to thanks to all on the forum for there input and suggestions