Signs Your Under-Floor Heating System Needs Service
Under-floor heating can be so enjoyable. It's lovely to step out of bed or out of the shower and onto a nice, warm floor. It's also nice not to have to build or decorate around radiators or vents! However, since under-floor heating systems are hidden, it's not always immediately obvious when this type of system needs service. You'll have to look out for the following signs.
1. Part of the floor is not getting warm.
These systems have a series of pipes that carry hot water, and the heat travels from the water to the pipe, to the flooring. If any air gets in the pipes, then this part of the pipe won't fill with water, so it won't get warm. This is similar to what happens with a hot water radiator when air gets into a radiator. With a radiator, however, you can usually bleed out the air yourself. With an underfloor heating system, you can't reach the pipes, and so you need to contact a heating service to come out and remove the air.
Part of the floor could also be cold due to a blockage in the pipe, or because the pump has lost power and is not able to circulate hot water through the entire pipe network. Your heating service contractor can rule out these issues, too.
2. Your floor seems damp.
Under-floor heating systems are carefully designed to reduce the chances of a leak, but sometimes leaks do happen. If part of your floor seems damp, this is a sign of a leak. You may not see an actual pool of water since when a leak starts, it is just a drop at a time — enough to moisten the flooring without leaving a puddle. Mold on the flooring is another sign of moisture due to a leak. Your heating service contractor can locate the leak and repair it.
3. Your home's temperature won't reach the thermostat setting.
Pay attention to the setting on your thermostat, and also the temperature that your home actually reaches. If your thermostat is set to 72, but your home only ever reaches 68, for example, that is a sign that something is amiss. Some of the hot water pipes may be blocked or full of air, or the heating system may not be getting water as hot as it should. Luckily, both of these things are fixable. To learn more information, reach out to a company such as Keil Plumbing & Heating Inc.