Underfloor heating pipe frozen in the slab

[ohlgren]

On Sunday it was -5 after being above freezing since the casting, and one of the underfloor heating loops in the slab, which was poured on December 15, froze before I managed to drain the 3 loops. I managed to thaw the loop by flushing the slab with hot water and then used a compressor to push out ice crush mixed with water. The responsibility to empty the loops of water before frost lay with the total contractor's HVAC company. Now, the contractor's HVAC company & the contractor claim that the loops could not freeze because there is polystyrene under the slab and that the concrete is still warm due to ongoing curing.

This is, of course, completely unrealistic. The idea that the slab would be warm 4 weeks after casting and could withstand -5 degrees is pure fantasy. But they insist on this!! Have they discovered a new energy source or what? ;-)

I would need some contributions with arguments from the forum that I can present to them, if it helps.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Enk Projektet]

What does the contract say?
Casting in December without any kind of afterheat must be a risk throughout Sweden.....

 

[mexitegel]

Didn't you take a picture?

 

[noone70]

It should be possible to mathematically calculate that they are wrong?

 

[ohlgren]

No. In that case, would have needed to film when the iskross sprouted out.

 

[ohlgren]

What does the contract say?
Pouring in December without any sort of post-heating must be a risk in all of Sweden.....

It's a turnkey contract, so they have full responsibility. If they make a mistake, they have to fix it. But they believe they haven't made a mistake, because it can't freeze despite -5 degrees.......

 

[injonil]

You might be able to get help with the calculations from the concrete station?

Spontaneously, I would say that the first week is no problem at all, the second week borderline, the third and fourth weeks very risky.

 

[Enk Projektet]

It's a turnkey contract so they have full responsibility. If they make a mistake, they have to fix it. But they claim they haven't made a mistake, because it supposedly can't freeze despite -5 degrees.......

Can't freeze at -5? Is it water or alcohol they've pressure tested with?

 

[ohlgren]

Not freezing at -5? Is it water or alcohol they have pressure tested with?

Water.

 

[Enk Projektet]

Water.

Without additional heat, water freezes at -5.....

 

[prototypen]

Styrofoam under the slab only makes the situation worse, as the ground heat can't come up.

(Idiots as contractors, subzero temperatures occur throughout Sweden)

Protte

 

[RoBo]

It's a design-build contract, so they are fully responsible. If they make a mistake, they have to fix it. But they claim they haven't made a mistake, because it supposedly can't freeze despite -5 degrees.......

How do they feel about you getting involved in their project? They can blame you now if something goes wrong.

 

[ohlgren]

Without supplementary heat, water freezes at -5.....

Yes, but they claim that due to ongoing curing, the slab stays warm, even 3-4 weeks after pouring, so that the pipes could not freeze on Sunday despite -5.

 

[pelpet]

And who put the crushed ice there? The giant Gluff-Gluff? Bert Karlsson? I don't know what they will say when you tell them that you've removed ice from the pipes.

But what is it you want to achieve? A new pressure test?

 

[Enk Projektet]

Yes, but they claim that the slab remains warm due to ongoing curing, even though it's been 3-4 weeks since pouring, so that the pipes therefore couldn't have frozen on Sunday despite -5.

Well then....either it didn't work or it hasn't frozen....
What do they say is the reason?