Locating obstruction in finished underfloor heating system (water)

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FisheryCottages

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Would really appreciate any ideas to locate obstruction in a new underfloor heating circut.(water system off a gas boiler) Unfortunately all finished flag flooring in place. Plumber has traced to one room but says whole floor needs to be dug up......yikes.
He says there is minimal flow so is there anything that can be put in that would concentrate at the blockage and be traceable.......?

With Thanks,
 

e-plumber

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Obstruction

Are you positive there is an obstruction in the piping?
I came across the same problem recently on a newly installed radiant heating system, it turned out to be that the run of 1/2" plastic pipe from the boiler room to the family room was too long and a loss of pressure occured. We could not bleed the air out which appeared to be an obstruction/decrease in water flow in the zone.
 

hj

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blockage

The problem is most likely a pinched pipe, so a leak locator might be able to hear the "rush" as the water flows through the pinched point. Unfortunately, even if you find the spot, good practice would preclude patching it, so unless it could be strainghtened out successfully, (without weakening the tube at that point), the entire section would have to be replaced. I am also concerned that it appears that more than one room is one that circuit. We always install separate circuits for each room so the individual temperatures could be regulated, or at least the flows could be modulated so the rooms heated unformly.
 
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