ᐅ Screed heating program set incorrectly and heating pipe loosened

In der Ruine schrieb:

A totally basic question.
Does screed need to be actively dried, or can you just leave it for a few weeks and it will cure and dry on its own?

Answer: Yes, you are correct.
All screed will dry, whether it is heated or not; the drying time depends on the screed thickness and, of course, the climatic conditions in the environment.
The residual moisture measurement, which a flooring installer is required to perform as part of their due diligence on the substrate, will then indicate whether the screed is ready for covering or not.
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Regards, KlaRa

The expert has already covered all the important points.

My advice:
Breaking up and refilling an area of the screed is practically impossible. It will almost certainly damage heating circuits. To do this, you have to expose the entire area around the raised pipe so you can properly reinstall it on the insulation.

Don’t let yourself be pressured into a quick repair, even if it seems tempting.

Get an independent expert and ideally have the entire room’s screed removed and new heating circuits installed. You might think this will just cause unnecessary delays, but you will regret it later if you don’t do it.

Hello everyone,
an update from the screed situation.
Unfortunately, probably nothing good...

This afternoon, someone came and “fixed” everything.

Supposedly, everything went well – that’s what the worker wanted to assure me. When I came home from work, he was already packing up. By the time I noticed everything was wet, he was already long gone.

- A floor area of about 5m² (54 sq ft) is damp
- Apparently, a different type of screed was used
- The perimeter insulation strip around the screed was wet
- One side wall was wet up to about 1.3m (4.3 ft) – the joint had completely absorbed water (about 2m (6.5 ft) away from the actual spot)
- On the opposite wall, a few drops were visible, but up to about 2m (6.5 ft) high
- At the heating manifold, he quickly did something before leaving
- The pressure in the heating circuit dropped from 1.3 to 0.9 bar
- The opening made was only 1m (3.3 ft), although the visible length at the top was already 1m (3.3 ft)

--> Where else could the splashes and water on the floor and the pressure loss come from, if not from the damaged pipe?

Attached is a photo of the still wet floor.
We will probably have to involve an expert now, but I would still appreciate any advice in advance.
Thank you!

Best regards
Faddl

Impose a construction stop, look for an expert, and find a specialized lawyer who can advise you on form and deadlines. Otherwise, this will end in a disaster.

I agree with that. This is really quite a drama...

Hello "faddl92".
As a non-expert, you need to recognize the point when a professional must step in to assess the situation and provide an accurate evaluation.
Basically, your previous approach, as I see it, was correctly chosen!
A contractor installs something, you criticize the execution and grant a correction, which in this case concerns a visually noticeable, minor screed covering over the heating elements of the underfloor heating system.
Whether the correction now made is sufficient and the current condition can be accepted, I cannot judge from a distance.
However, if the boiler pressure of the heating system continuously drops and the screed in the patched area appears damp (this can be determined with simple testing devices), then you should indeed seek further professional assistance.
A lawyer, as "Joedreck" recommended, will (in my many years of experience) not be useful at least in the initial stage, since this profession often tends to become a separate "problem" and cannot contribute to technical solutions.
[Note: the ideal is always cooperation between legal experts and technicians]
The right approach, therefore, before reaching the situation you described, and as recommended elsewhere, is to specifically involve an expert from the relevant trade (screed or floor construction technology).
In this context, they must also verify whether the repaired (or poorly repaired?) spot was the only one on the entire surface or if there is a significant risk of insufficient coverage elsewhere.
Meaning: check the screed covering across the entire floor area!
My additional recommendation is to inform those responsible (for example, the general contractor) about the expert’s on-site inspection and invite them as well. Tip: If the expert handles this invitation, it usually creates the necessary pressure among the parties involved!
Of course, this requires an expert who understands their profession, who does not "give in" on site under pressure (often caused by partial or misleading information), who knows and masters the applicable technical standards.

In summary
From my point of view, the point has now been reached where things stop being enjoyable.
If it is indeed confirmed that the screed is not stable due to inadequate coverage, not only must tests (and decisions) be made that are legally binding later, but everything must also be properly documented!
By conducting a private, but later legally valid, evidence collection, delays in the construction process can be minimized.
Otherwise, one must (currently estimated) wait about 1.5 years until a court, after endless lawyer correspondence, appoints an expert who might again take several months to arrange a visit to the site, and then produce the report after further weeks.
The content of this report, as practice shows, is often challenged, leading to endless court inquiries.
It is expected that your building’s current condition will remain as is for the next 2 to 3 years.
A private evidence collection by a (necessarily publicly appointed) expert saves significant time—and definitely money.
Even though the expert will not work for free 🙂
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Best wishes for a good decision: KlaRa