Heating leak under a kitchen floor located in Bollington
A newly fitted combi boiler would not hold pressure. Listening picked up leak noise at the boiler and kitchen radiator, and a ground microphone survey under air pressure marked one spot on the kitchen floor, where a leaking tee joint was found and repaired.
Signs of the leak in Bollington
A brand new combi boiler could not hold pressure. Damp meter readings were at maximum across the kitchen floor and up the wall to worktop height.
How acoustic equipment found it
An early listening survey picked up strong leak signals at the boiler and the kitchen radiator. Once the system was drained and put under 3 bar of air, a ground microphone survey gave a clear leak sound over the same spot where the thermal camera had shown a warm patch on the kitchen floor, giving one point to dig.
The investigation, step by step
- 01Thermal imaging showed a warm patch on the kitchen floor; the pipe routes elsewhere showed nothing unusual.
- 02Damp meter readings were at maximum across the kitchen floor and up the wall.
- 03Listened at the boiler and kitchen radiator and heard strong leak signals.
- 04Drained the system, isolated the boiler and put 3 bar of air in; the pressure dropped quickly.
- 05Listened over the kitchen floor with a ground microphone and heard a clear leak sound over the warm patch.
- 06The homeowner dug out the marked spot, exposing a leaking tee joint.
- 07Cut out the section and repaired it with press fittings; it held 2 bar for 45 minutes.
- 08Refilled and bled the system and ran the heating.
What was found
- Found
- A leaking tee joint in the heating pipework under the kitchen floor.
- Repair
- The faulty section was cut out and repaired with press fittings, which held 2 bar for 45 minutes. The system was refilled, bled and the heating run.
- Recommended afterwards
- Add inhibitor to the heating system.
- Worth knowing
- The homeowner did the digging, not ADI.
