ᐅ Water damage. Possible puncture of the underfloor heating system?

Hello!

We moved into our new single-family house nearly two years ago. Last late summer, the laminate flooring in the hallway in front of the bathroom started to warp. At first, I thought, “Oh no, since I installed it myself, maybe I didn’t leave enough expansion gaps, and now it’s expanding due to the heat.” Now the problem has appeared again, much worse this time, so I wanted to repair it. That’s when I noticed that the entire screed is wet.

We see about 1 square meter (about 11 square feet) of wet screed in front of the bathroom door. Of course, I don’t know how wet it is under the bathroom tiles. Since we are still under warranty, the question for me is who is responsible…

I installed the floor (click laminate) myself. Unfortunately, I screwed the transition profile to the bathroom floor, which means I drilled into it (yes, I know now that was a bad idea—I had a bad feeling back then but relied on advice from the hardware store). So it’s possible that I damaged the underfloor heating. I tried not to drill too deep (the anchors are 3cm (1.2 inches) long) and used a depth stop while drilling.

My main question is: If it came from the underfloor heating, shouldn’t a significant pressure drop be measurable in the heating system? I have never refilled water. The last maintenance was last spring. The chimney sweep in autumn definitely wouldn’t have refilled anything either. We currently still have just under 1.5 bar (about 22 psi) pressure shown on the heating gauge in the basement, although the leak would be on the upper floor, about 6 meters (about 20 feet) higher.

The builder and my insurance have already been informed.
* Could this come from the underfloor heating, and if so, how can I find out?
* If yes, what steps would be necessary for repair (this is probably guesswork without inspecting the damage), and what kind of costs might be involved (my estimate is several thousand)?
* Would a good insurance policy typically cover this kind of damage (we have comprehensive coverage with Debeka)?

Thanks a lot for any advice,
Uwe

Whatever it is, it is probably covered by the building insurance. At least it would be in mine. It’s not a natural hazard, flood, or heavy rain, but a water damage from a pipe. It could be central heating, but also a water supply or sewage pipe.

Nordlys schrieb:
Whatever it is, it should be covered by the building insurance. At least mine would cover it. It’s not a natural disaster like flooding or heavy rain, but a water damage from pipes. It could be a heating pipe, but also a water supply or sewage pipe.

I’m not so sure about that. A burst pipe, yes, but accidentally drilling into it yourself, no! And if so, then “only” the water damage, not the repair of the pipe or damage to the contents (-> contents insurance).

How thick is the screed layer over the underfloor heating? There are minimum thickness requirements, but they vary depending on the type of screed, as far as I know. It might be too thin.

If you puncture the underfloor heating, the pressure will drop immediately!!! If the floor in the room is warm, it could also be the underfloor heating.

First, you need to find the cause. If it’s not the underfloor heating, it could be a commonly overlooked pipe pressurization. (I still wonder how something like that can be forgotten, but it seems to happen on every second construction project.)

By the way, the first floor covering in the house above the screed is covered by the building insurance, not the contents insurance. Contents insurance would cover the carpet over the laminate, which we just recently found out in connection with an aquarium leak.

Hello!

First of all, thank you for your answers.

Payday schrieb:
If you pierce the underfloor heating, the pressure is gone immediately!!! If the floor in the room heats up, it can also be the underfloor heating.

I don’t understand the sentence. Do you mean “it cannot be the underfloor heating”? We have been heating the house like this for two years, and the bathroom was warm, and we still have 1.5 bar (22 psi) pressure on the heating system.

Regarding the damage: furniture is not damaged, and we still have laminate flooring in stock. The problem would otherwise be the tiles in the bathroom and also the screed.

Additionally, we have both building insurance and contents insurance with the same insurance company. I have also found out that, in our package, the insurance covers damages up to 10,000 euros even in cases of gross negligence (my interpretation: even if I pierce the underfloor heating…).

If it is not the underfloor heating, it will in any case be the responsibility of the builder.

Best regards,
uwe81

With cement screed, there is usually an extra 5 cm (2 inches) above the underfloor heating. I also don’t believe that you would have drilled into the underfloor heating. If 5 liters (1.3 gallons) are leaking out there, the pressure in the system is already at zero.