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#3625
Vicki Cowan
Keymaster

Hi Miranda
Jeepers I received a quick reply, Id didn’t need that holding entry to know someone was onto your query! I must have caught Prof. Robyn Phipps at a good time. Robyn is an indoor environment expert – she did Beacon’s first report into IEQ – you would have seen her present at EDA conference on school IEQ work! She’s come back with this insight for us – has HPA logic (it’s all about water and temperature!) so that’s good! Here’s the relevant bits of the email she sent me:

If it’s a hydraulic system (a fluid in a pipe network) and it leaks then it can support microbes just like any other leak – a big cross. Leaking can be checked by pressure testing. Shouldn’t leak once installed unless slab fails as can occur in an earthquake (problems would be bigger than underfloor heating) or excessive settlement.

If it is an electric system then it can’t leak.

However by keeping the floor warm and dry (assuming it doesn’t leak) it will reduce the growth of mould and dustmites. – a big tick.

A slight concern is in swing seasons, eg cool mornings and warm afternoons especially in west facing rooms it can overheat in afternoons. Needs a smart controller to predict the afternoon temp and turn off in advance of overheating.

Regards
Vicki