How to access central heating pipes

[Lagoonablue]

Looks like I have an underfloor leak. All downstairs rooms have that vynil plank tiling stuff that is stick to floor. I think the access hatch is under it!

The front room has a carpet. Will just be able to lift a few p,anks so the plumber can get under the floor? Don’t know where the leak is but boiler losing pressure and there is nothing wrong with it.

Are you sure it is a leak? Our system was losing pressure but it was due to the expansion vessel needing air.

I should add that two plumbers told us we must have a leak and a heating engineer said it is usually the issue we had and not a leak.

Thanks for replies. Boiler has been tested and expansion valve too. The only other thing it can be is a leak.

Hi lagoon, it still may not be a leak in the pipes! It could be that the radiators are very slightly leaking, but you can't tell because it's such a small leak; or that they need to be rebalanced. It may be worth trying another central heating engineer to check those aspects?

If you still think it's a leak, there are leak detector companies - I think they use a gas which they can detect, without pulling up vinyl, and various other methods - although the leak has to be up to a certain level before it's detectable. Good luck - it seems to be quite a common issue!

Thanks. I have a British Gas contract so will get them out again.

I think the radiators are fine.

It’s annoying as it’s a new boiler!

Ah, if it's a new boiler it can take some time to 'settle down' - are you talking weeks or months old? Not uncommon to lose pressure several times at the beginning, I think.

Your radiators can look fine but still be leaking, because the water that leaks evaporates very quickly. The engineer can go round checking/tightening the valves.

(PS I'm not a central heating engineer but had precisely this problem with a new boiler!)
Leak detector companies tend to be specialist companies - may be worth trying if the problem persists?

It’s 14 months old.
Thanks for your help.

We have similar problem and just had British gas guy out, they will be back with an infrared machine that detects the leak. Make sure they pay as it should be covered on ur insurance. If they find the leak I think they will have to dig up floors.....at their cost

Dyno-rod is a subsid of BG so call them to get the infrared check

I had exactly this, with a brand new boiler. It was a leak, luckily under floorboards.

ANyone already had their floor dug up? If so what happened? Did they pay for new flooring/ carpets? What if they don't find the leak? WHat next?

Ok thanks. I hope they don’t have to pull up,the whole floor....ugh.

Ok thanks. I hope they don’t have to pull up,the whole floor....ugh.