Wet floor under vinyl

alibob22

Hi all. 
We have been noticing mould along one wall in our kitchen and when we lifted the vinyl the floor was soaked underneath it. There are central heating pipes running under that location so it was assumed we had a leak. The vinyl was laid directly onto of the concrete it has been suggested it could be trapped moisture. As I was covered for trace and access I got a company out to find the leak. The thermal came up with something so they started to dig but got to a few joins and the pipes go into my lounge that's why there was mass of heat. Anyway they had to stop as they came across some tiles that reassembled asbestos so had to stop. I am really stressed about this as no idea where to turn to insurance have only just passed it to a specialist team due to asbestos. And I am now unclear if there is a leak at all and could it be moisture trapped under the vinyl. Over the last week we have have had the vinyl lifted and it has started to dry out. I am expecting a report from the trace and access company. Please see pictures 

naf123

Most of the damp seems to be next to the door? Or I'm seeing it wrong?

Martin_the_Unjust

naf123 said:

Most of the damp seems to be next to the door? Or I'm seeing it wrong?

Looks like that to me too.

OP what's the door lead too?

shaun_from_Africa

Writing from experience, it's surprising how far and how fast water can travel between vinyl floor coverings and a hard floor.
I had a water leak in my kitchen (faulty dish washer) and the water under the flooring quicker travelled the entire length of the kitchen which is about 6 metres.

If the water in your room was getting in under the door, it could easily spread around very quickly.

alibob22

That is the lounge that is the other side of the double doors I have attached a pic of the pipe runs which run along that edge 

FreeBear

A couple of questions that you probably don't know the answers to....

Is there a Damp Proof Membrane in the floor ?

Was the central heating installed at a later date ?

If the heating was installed at a later date, it is conceivable that the DPM was compromised when channels for the pipes were cut - Side note - The pipes don't appear to be encased in a protective covering. Cement (in the concrete) will slowly attack the copper and result in leaks...

alibob22

Hi thanks for the feedback the material was over the top of them. My next door neighbour still has an oil burner so central heating could of been put in at a later date. I can see a DPM from around the outside of the house but could not tell you if it has been compromised. Would it not be lower than where those pipes were laid? I appreciate the copper will erode over time. The more I delve into the worse I feel it is getting. Thanks for the reply. 

alibob22

Who do I need to get in to take a look at all of this? Builder, Plumber, Surveyors. 
I am really worried 😔

Martin_the_Unjust

Unless you know a reliable builder I would be looking for a structural engineer.

FreeBear

A plumber for any issues with the heating & pipes, a builder for DPM issues.

Just do not have one of those "free damp surveys". It will be nothing more than a sales pitch for expensive/ineffective work - Some of the stuff they peddle is tantamount to fraud.

Dampnerd

Sorry Freebear, I’d have to disagree with you in that a builder/contractor is not the best party to offer advice on DPM issues. The OP should consider contacting an Independent Remedial Surveyor (preferably one who is a member of the PCA) They will charge something in the region of £250 for a survey but the advice they offer is expert and impartial. This is actually my field of work but I am not making house visits at this point in time.

 Leak detection companies can also offer help in pin pointing the exact area of any plumbing leak and they can do this using non-invasive methods.

OP:  How old is your house? Any photos from the outside would be handy along with a photo of the DPC that you think you have identified on the external.