Is Commissioning and Conditioning screed important?
This process gradually heats up the screed to the maximum design temperature. This is important to allow the screed to expand and contract in a safe and controlled manner to reduce the risk of thermal shocking.
If using an Anhydrite Calcium Sulphate screed, our Force Dry programme completes this process.
How it works – Hire Specialist ForceDry Systems
Once the screed is dried / cured ForceDry’s specialist 3 component system is installed. Our electric boilers heat up the screed in a controlled manner. Once at target temperature the screed is held at this stage for several days. Once this process completes the temperature is then gradually reduced.
We recommend using our high-spec dehumidifiers to remove any residual moisture released by the screed. This keeps the atmosphere dry and encourages it to give up more. Air moving fans maintain good air flow around the dwelling, so our dehumidifiers have maximum effect.
The programme is specific to the screed brand and depth and will be calculated as part of the estimating process.
What could happen if I miss this process?
When the underfloor heating is switched on and the screed begins to feel heat for the first time there is a high risk of thermal shocking. The screed expands and contracts too quickly causing cracking of the screed and the flooring above. Any residual moisture in the screed would also be released lifting, curling and de-bonding floor finishes. These can be extremely expensive problems to rectify later down the line.
Skipping this step may also invalidate any flooring warranties.
Are there any other benefits?
Meet British Standard for screeds, bases and in situ flooring BS8204-7
Prepare floor to exact manufacture guidelines
Reduce the risk of floor failure and expensive remedial work
Have the confidence to move forward with a project
Include another quality assurance standard in your company portfolio
Simple and fast programme provided