Water Damage from Hydronic Heat Systems

3/25/2021 (Permalink)

Hydronic or water-based radiant heating systems are common in commercial buildings and are even found in residential homes. What are they and why are they used?  In a hydronic heating system, water is heated and moved through a system of sealed pipes to radiators throughout the building.  Once the heated water is used, it is returned to be reheated via a recirculating system.

Hydronic heat has many advantages. One advantage is the variety of places it can be used. It is even used to heat the Frozen Tundra at Lambeau Field. Green Bay was the first NFL team to heat their field and they have been doing it since 1967.  Originally an electric coil system was used.  But in 1997 that was replaced with a new, more efficient hydronic system.  Buried 6 to 12 inches below the turf is a series of pipes with a combination of warm water and antifreeze running through them. This system prevents the soil and the roots from freezing.     

Systems similar to the one at Lambeau Field are used in the cement slabs of commercial buildings. They are even used in basements of residential homes.  They can be used to heat swimming pools.  The possibilities are many.

Other advantages to hydronic heating:  

• Unlike air forced central heating systems there are no airborne particles, providing a totally dust free and allergen free form of heating
• When used to heat the air through radiators or panel radiators, the radiators can be individually adjusted to provide ultimate comfort in each room
• Panel radiators push out natural radiant heat which spreads evenly

But hydronic heat systems are not without their disadvantages. We here in the water restoration business see one of their biggest disadvantages regularly. All pipes run the risk of bursting due to pressure changes or below freezing temperatures.  This can happen with plumbing pipes, sprinkler system pipes and hydronic heating pipes. When a pipe in a hydronic heating system bursts, the resulting water damage can be massive if not caught immediately. The system tries to compensate for the loss and keeps pulling more water in to the system.  Add to that the loss of heat in the building and an icy mess can be the result.  The attached picture of an ice filled bathtub is from a home that experienced such a loss.