Underfloor Heating
Monitoring UFH Pipe Pressure While Screed Is Poured
Keeping UFH pipework under pressure while screed flows lets the pour team spot a damaged pipe before it becomes hidden inside the floor.
Want a pour plan that includes pressure monitoring?
We build pressure checks into our pour-day process to protect your underfloor heating pipework.
Or call our landline on 01392 237700
Underfloor heating pipework is pressure tested before a liquid screed pour begins, and on most projects that pressure is maintained and watched while the screed is actually being pumped and spread across the floor. This isn't just a formality; it's a practical safeguard, because a pipe damaged during the pour is far cheaper to deal with while the screed is still liquid than once it has hardened around a break.
A gauge fitted to the manifold or a temporary test point lets the site team see at a glance whether pressure is holding steady as pump hoses, screed rakes and foot traffic move across the pipework. A sudden or gradual drop during pouring is a signal to stop and investigate rather than carry on and hope for the best.
This is a shared responsibility between the screed team and whoever installed the heating pipework, and it works best when both sides agree beforehand who is watching the gauge, what pressure is expected, and what happens if a drop is seen mid-pour.
Pressure Monitoring During Pour — the points that decide it
- Pipework is normally left under pressure throughout the screed pour, not just before it
- A visible gauge lets the site team check pressure at intervals during pouring
- A pressure drop during the pour should stop work until the cause is found
- Damage found while screed is still liquid is much easier to deal with than after curing
- Responsibility for watching the gauge should be agreed before pouring starts
- Test pressure and expected readings should be recorded before work begins
- A dedicated test gauge, separate from any permanently fitted manifold gauge, is sometimes used specifically for the pour-day check
- Some sites nominate a specific person to watch the gauge continuously during pumping rather than checking it periodically
What can cause a drop
Most in-pour pressure drops come from a pipe being caught by a rake, trodden on awkwardly, or pinched by equipment rather than a manufacturing fault, which is why care in how the team moves around the floor and stages the pour matters.
What happens if pressure falls
If a drop is seen, pouring is paused so the affected area can be checked before more screed covers the pipe run. Depending on the stage of the pour and the location of the fault, the practical response varies, but continuing regardless is not something we would recommend on any project.
Gauge placement and visibility
Positioning the pressure gauge somewhere clearly visible to the pump operator and screed team, rather than tucked inside a manifold cabinet, makes it more likely that a drop is noticed promptly during pumping. Some contractors fit a temporary test gauge specifically for pour day, separate from any gauge built into the manifold itself.
Pressure Monitoring During Pour — your questions
Want a pour plan that includes pressure monitoring?
We build pressure checks into our pour-day process to protect your underfloor heating pipework.
Or call our landline on 01392 237700
In short
Keeping UFH pipework under pressure while screed flows lets the pour team spot a damaged pipe before it becomes hidden inside the floor.
Want a pour plan that includes pressure monitoring?
We build pressure checks into our pour-day process to protect your underfloor heating pipework.