Pipe leak in screed

[Rgee]

Hi

I have just had a nightmare with a leaking copper pipe under the screed in the kitchen. It took the insurance company 2 months and 4 visits to find a section of hot feed pipe with 3 pin holes. It appears that this section was not sufficicently lagged. They have dug up a lot of the kitchen looking for the leak and because it took them so long the collateral damage is more than it should have been. The water spread into the study, dining room and hallway. I now have fans and dehumidifiers running 24/7 to dry the place out and I can't believe the amount of water that is collecting in the buckets.

Obviously only the failed section has been replaced so the question is, while the kitchen is in a state of upheaval, do I replace all the pipes running under the kitchen screed (including central heating) and if so do I re-use copper or is there another type of pipe out there that can survive the acidity of the screed. I will probably replace the kitchen but I just do not want this to happen again.

Thx

[mk1fan]

I'd run continuous lengths of plastic pipe - like Hep2O or Polypipe - though the screed for all the pipes. For belt and braces I'd also run them in a conduit or trunking. Depending on the floor finish you want you could then maintain access. Alternatively, you could run them above the screed behind the kitchen units.

Insulation should be fitted regardless.

[Ferg]

Most water authorities want DOMESTIC services to be accessible, so putting them in a screed is really a no-no. Heating pipes are OK though and if they are sleeve-lagged they are fine.