Damp hardwood floor question/advice?
 

I'm working on a house for resale. After removing the entryway carpet
I found hardwood floors in pretty good skape. However, the are two
strips where the seams and butt joint are damp to the touch and the
only water source close by is a hot water baseboard heating register.
But the copper pipe from the heater goes down under the floor. I can
only assume that there might be a pin hole leak in the copper that
when under pressure releases some water.

Problem is... the ceiling below is completely finished in so there is
no access to the heating pipes. In fact I can't even be sure this is
the cause but its my assumption.

I'm writing for suggestions as to what the best method for repair
would be?

I'm thinking if I cut one end of the wook strips which are in a hall
closet I might be able to pull up the two wood stips. But, there's
got to be a subfloor unther the flooring stips. I supposed I could
cut out a section of that to see if I can see the pipes, etc., etc.,
etc. You get the picture b now.

Any suggestions as to how I could approach this problem?
Thanks

Damp hardwood floor question/advice?
 

On Mar 29, 9:29*pm, wrote:
I'm working on a house for resale. *After removing the entryway carpet
I found hardwood floors in pretty good skape. *However, the are two
strips where the seams and butt joint are damp to the touch and the
only water source close by is a hot water baseboard heating register.
But the copper pipe from the heater goes down under the floor. *I can
only assume that there might be a pin hole leak in the copper that
when under pressure releases some water.

Problem is... the ceiling below is completely finished in so there is
no access to the heating pipes. *In fact I can't even be sure this is
the cause but its my assumption.

I'm writing for suggestions as to what the best method for repair
would be?

I'm thinking if I cut one end of the wook strips which are in a hall
closet I might be able to pull *up the two wood stips. *But, there's
got to be a subfloor unther the flooring stips. *I supposed I could
cut out a section of that to see if I can see the pipes, etc., etc.,
etc. *You get the picture b now.

Any suggestions as to how I could approach this problem?
Thanks

My first thought would be to determine if it is coming
from the baseboard heating. It seems a bit odd that you'd
have wet wood flooring but no evidence of a leak on the
ceiling below. From the description the pin hole leak
would have to be on the pipe where it passes through
the floor. In which case, you'd think the water would
more likely drip down the pipe and show up downstairs,
not on the wood floor.

If inspection of what is there doesn't show a
leak, then I'd put a fan there and dry it out. When it's dry,
get the water circulating for a day and see if it reappears. If it
does and there is no visible leak, then I guess
it's time to open the ceiling below for access.

You said entrance-way. Is this an outside wall too? If
so the water could be coming via penetration from the
outside.

Damp hardwood floor question/advice?
 

On 3/29/2012 9:29 PM, wrote:
I'm working on a house for resale. After removing the entryway carpet
I found hardwood floors in pretty good skape. However, the are two
strips where the seams and butt joint are damp to the touch and the
only water source close by is a hot water baseboard heating register.
But the copper pipe from the heater goes down under the floor. I can
only assume that there might be a pin hole leak in the copper that
when under pressure releases some water.

Problem is... the ceiling below is completely finished in so there is
no access to the heating pipes. In fact I can't even be sure this is
the cause but its my assumption.

I'm writing for suggestions as to what the best method for repair
would be?

I'm thinking if I cut one end of the wook strips which are in a hall
closet I might be able to pull up the two wood stips. But, there's
got to be a subfloor unther the flooring stips. I supposed I could
cut out a section of that to see if I can see the pipes, etc., etc.,
etc. You get the picture b now.

Any suggestions as to how I could approach this problem?
Thanks
Unless there is a waterproof barrier between the underneath surface of
the possibly leaking pipe and the finished ceiling of the room below,
wouldn't you assume that a leak from the pipe would show itself
somewhere on the finished ceiling, even if the pin hole was facing
upward and capillary attraction of the subfloor captured the majority of
the leak? Also, what is the likelihood that the subfloor is sitting
directly on the pipe? I would guess low.

Therefore, I'd be skeptical that there was a pinhole leak in the pipe
directly under the hardwood locagtion that is damp. More likely there
is a leak in the baseboard heating register or in one of the vertical
copper pipes that penetrate the hardwood floor to service that baseboard
heater and the water is running almost but not quite horizontally to the
damp spot. Enclosed leaks are notorious for not showing themselves
directly below (much less above) their actual location. Good luck!

Damp hardwood floor question/advice?
 

On Mar 29, 6:29*pm, wrote:
I'm working on a house for resale. *After removing the entryway carpet
I found hardwood floors in pretty good skape. *However, the are two
strips where the seams and butt joint are damp to the touch and the
only water source close by is a hot water baseboard heating register.
But the copper pipe from the heater goes down under the floor. *I can
only assume that there might be a pin hole leak in the copper that
when under pressure releases some water.

Problem is... the ceiling below is completely finished in so there is
no access to the heating pipes. *In fact I can't even be sure this is
the cause but its my assumption.

I'm writing for suggestions as to what the best method for repair
would be?

I'm thinking if I cut one end of the wook strips which are in a hall
closet I might be able to pull *up the two wood stips. *But, there's
got to be a subfloor unther the flooring stips. *I supposed I could
cut out a section of that to see if I can see the pipes, etc., etc.,
etc. *You get the picture b now.

Any suggestions as to how I could approach this problem?
Thanks

There are 'leak detectors' available. From memory, they are expensive
sono microphones that listen for the 20+kHz scream of a leak.

Again, from memory, used in the oil industry. Nondestructive testing
instrumentation. Name Halifax, or Halligen comes to mind. [too lazy
to do search]

Damp hardwood floor question/advice?
 

On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:30:27 -0400, Peter wrote:

On 3/29/2012 9:29 PM, wrote:
I'm working on a house for resale. After removing the entryway carpet
I found hardwood floors in pretty good skape. However, the are two
strips where the seams and butt joint are damp to the touch and the
only water source close by is a hot water baseboard heating register.
But the copper pipe from the heater goes down under the floor. I can
only assume that there might be a pin hole leak in the copper that
when under pressure releases some water.

Problem is... the ceiling below is completely finished in so there is
no access to the heating pipes. In fact I can't even be sure this is
the cause but its my assumption.

I'm writing for suggestions as to what the best method for repair
would be?

I'm thinking if I cut one end of the wook strips which are in a hall
closet I might be able to pull up the two wood stips. But, there's
got to be a subfloor unther the flooring stips. I supposed I could
cut out a section of that to see if I can see the pipes, etc., etc.,
etc. You get the picture b now.

Any suggestions as to how I could approach this problem?
Thanks
Unless there is a waterproof barrier between the underneath surface of
the possibly leaking pipe and the finished ceiling of the room below,
wouldn't you assume that a leak from the pipe would show itself
somewhere on the finished ceiling, even if the pin hole was facing
upward and capillary attraction of the subfloor captured the majority of
the leak? Also, what is the likelihood that the subfloor is sitting
directly on the pipe? I would guess low.

Therefore, I'd be skeptical that there was a pinhole leak in the pipe
directly under the hardwood locagtion that is damp. More likely there
is a leak in the baseboard heating register or in one of the vertical
copper pipes that penetrate the hardwood floor to service that baseboard
heater and the water is running almost but not quite horizontally to the
damp spot. Enclosed leaks are notorious for not showing themselves
directly below (much less above) their actual location. Good luck!

Thank you for the info, Peter.
After looking at it today I believe I came to the same conclusion: the
water must be coming from the baseboard register connection, perhaps
an elbow which has a small leak. I'll have to track it down much more
closely.

Thanks for the advice.

Damp hardwood floor question/advice?
 

On 3/30/2012 10:49 AM, Robert Macy wrote:
On Mar 29, 6:29 pm, wrote:
I'm working on a house for resale. After removing the entryway carpet
I found hardwood floors in pretty good skape. However, the are two
strips where the seams and butt joint are damp to the touch and the
only water source close by is a hot water baseboard heating register.
But the copper pipe from the heater goes down under the floor. I can
only assume that there might be a pin hole leak in the copper that
when under pressure releases some water.

Problem is... the ceiling below is completely finished in so there is
no access to the heating pipes. In fact I can't even be sure this is
the cause but its my assumption.

I'm writing for suggestions as to what the best method for repair
would be?

I'm thinking if I cut one end of the wook strips which are in a hall
closet I might be able to pull up the two wood stips. But, there's
got to be a subfloor unther the flooring stips. I supposed I could
cut out a section of that to see if I can see the pipes, etc., etc.,
etc. You get the picture b now.

Any suggestions as to how I could approach this problem?
Thanks

There are 'leak detectors' available. From memory, they are expensive
sono microphones that listen for the 20+kHz scream of a leak.

Again, from memory, used in the oil industry. Nondestructive testing
instrumentation. Name Halifax, or Halligen comes to mind. [too lazy
to do search]

I actually own an ultrasonic leak detector. It can detect the sound of
the ridges on the skin of my fingers rubbing together lightly. My keys
being barely shaken sound like wind chimes in the headphones of the
detector. My detector was designed for find refrigerant leaks but has
many other uses. Dye that glows under UV light is used to detect leaks
in refrigeration and cooling systems. I wonder if the products designed
to stop leaks in vehicle cooling systems could be effective in stopping
leaks in hydronic heating systems?

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/am...FQXonAod6RufLw

http://preview.tinyurl.com/867c9dj

http://www.amazon.com/Tracerline-TRA...888104-4299906

http://preview.tinyurl.com/7ht2yzx

TDD