Water damage. Possibly a drilled underfloor heating?

Hello!

We moved into our new single-family home almost two years ago. Last late summer, the laminate flooring in the hallway in front of the bathroom warped. At first, I thought, "Oh, crap, probably installed without enough expansion gap as a DIY job, now it’s buckling because of the heat." Now the problem has occurred again, much worse, so I wanted to repair it. That’s when I noticed that the entire screed is wet.

We see about 1 sqm of wet screed in front of the bathroom door. Of course, I don’t know how wet it is under the bathroom tiles. Since we are still under warranty, the question for me is who is responsible...

Because I installed the floor (click laminate) myself. Unfortunately, I screwed the transition profile to the bathroom floor, so I drilled there as well (yes, I now know that this was a bad idea; even back then I had a bad feeling but relied on advice from the hardware store). I could have accidentally pierced the underfloor heating. I tried not to drill too deep (the dowels are 3 cm long) and also used a depth stop on the drill.
But my actual question is: If it came from the underfloor heating, there should be a significant pressure drop in the underfloor heating. I have never refilled water. The last maintenance was last spring. The chimney sweep in autumn certainly wouldn’t have refilled anything either. We still have about 1.5 bar pressure (display on the heater in the basement, but the hole would be on the upper floor, about 6 meters higher).

The developer and my insurance have already been informed.
* Can this come from the underfloor heating, and if so, how can I find out?
* If yes, what steps would have to be taken for repair (presumably this is voodoo without seeing the damage), and what cost range would be expected (my estimate: several thousand)?
* Would a good insurance cover such damage (we basically have everything with Debeka)?

Thank you very much for tips,
Uwe

Whatever it is, it is probably covered by the building insurance. In mine at least, it would be included. It’s not a natural disaster, flood, heavy rain, but water damage from pipes. That has to be it. Could be Hz, but also a water pipe or sewage.

Whatever it is, it is probably covered by the building insurance. At least in mine it would be included. It’s not a natural hazard, flood, heavy rain, but rather water damage from pipes. It could be a heating pipe, but also a water or sewage pipe.

I rather doubt that. Pipe breakage yes, accidentally drilled through by yourself, no! And if so, then "only" the moisture damage, not the repair of the pipe or damage to the furnishings (-> household insurance).

How thick is the screed over the underfloor heating? There are minimum thicknesses, but depending on the type of screed, as far as I know. It could be that it is too thin.

if you have drilled into the underfloor heating, the pressure is gone immediately!!! if the floor in the rooms becomes warm, it can also be the underfloor heating.

first of all, the cause must be found out. if it is not the underfloor heating, it could be a commonly forgotten pipeline pressure. (I still wonder how someone can forget that, but it probably happens in every second construction)

the first floor covering in the house over the screed is included in the building insurance, not household contents insurance. the household contents insurance would cover the carpet over the laminate, we have just been through this because of an aquarium crack.

Hello!

First of all, thank you very much for your answers.

if you drilled into the underfloor heating, the pressure is immediately!!! gone. if the floor in the rooms gets warm, it can also be the underfloor heating.

I don’t understand the sentence. Do you mean "it can’t be the underfloor heating"? We have been heating the house like this for two years and the bathroom got warm, and we still have 1.5 bar pressure on the heating.

Regarding the damage: furniture/items are not damaged, we still have laminate flooring in stock. The problem would otherwise be the tiles in the bathroom. And of course the screed.

Additionally, we have both building insurance and household contents insurance with the same insurance company. I have also now found out that in our package the insurance pays for damages up to 10,000 euros even in cases of gross negligence (my interpretation: even if I drill into the underfloor heating....)

If it is not the underfloor heating, it will in any case be at the builder’s expense.

Best regards,
UWe

With cement screed, you normally have +5 cm above the underfloor heating. I also do not believe that you would have drilled into the underfloor heating. If 5 liters leak out there, the pressure in the system is already at zero.