Gretings to all,
I am in the process of remodeling the master bathroom in which the bathtub will be removed and the shower stall expanded into the area the bathtub occupied. The property was built in 1999 and is on a concrete slab. I need help with how to seal off the water supply lines and the drain line for the bathtub which are protruding through the slab. These components are in line with the existing shower stall water supply lines and drain line. The existing shower stall plumbing components will be reused in the remodel.
I can breakup the concrete around the copper water lines for the bathtub and cap them but what about the PVC drain line. Should it be cut flush and filled with concrete?
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks…
Replies
"A man's got to know his limitations"--Clint E.
Oh yeah....fill it with concrete. You'll probably need more than a truck load. Make sure you order it really wet. You know you've poured enough when either $@ it starts backing up out of the drain (septic tank will be satisfactorily full)... or it causes the sanitation department to start banging on your door.
I'm not sure a sarcastic reply was the best choice in this situation...
I suspect that cutting away the slab from the drain so you can then cement on a proper cap is the way to go. But before you do that, think through the entire new shower floor. How will you apply a water proof membrane, slope, etc. You may want to remove the entire slab in this area and start fresh.
Since the tub area will become part of the shower then you should be able to cut and hammer out the concrete around everything you are trying to cap off, cap it off with proper methods- copper lines with a cap, and old drain with a plug and then lay your new shower line in place. Pouring concrete in the drain would not be a good idea, as mentioned above, it will ruin your home drain system.
Terminating tup plumbing
Are the water lines copper? If so, you need to be leary of capping them off below the slab. There is the danger of electrolysis occurring where the capped is soldered and is in contact with the soil and cause a leak. If that happens, you will have to break out the slab to repair which can be a real mess.
If you must cap it off below the slab. use silver solder to solder the caps. Also you might consider enclosing the soldered caps in some type of enclosure to keep from any moist soil.
In new construction it is no longer allowed to have fittings/connetions under a slab.
As for the drain, just cap it off below the slab and fill the opening in the slab with concrete.
I am a GC and not a plumber, but have gone through a similar situataions. A real live honest to goodness plumber may have more and better advice.
I dont think i agree with your warning to be leary of capping off copper in concrete. Concrete doesnt not react with copper or solder in the way you are refering.
Electrolisis is caused by stray of dc current.
I guess you are refering to corrosion, and that also does not tend to happen in concrete...say tend cause there is always exceptions. High sulfur or fly-ash could cause corrosion with any metal. A extra step of prevention could be to fill the hole you chip out with a lime powder/screened soil mixture which helps eliminate corrosion worries.
Need to advise the code writers.
If that is the case, why will IRC not allow connecdtions under a slab and require that all copper must be sleaved where passing through concrete..
Back in the 50's and 60's, it was common practice and I have seen many, many home ownesr having the inside of their homes trashed and taunneled under repairing leaks under their foundations.
What ever the reason, I will not recommend anyone to do it.
IRC can kiss my #*$...j/k
Not arguing that it is the ideal thing to do. Home was built in 1999, IF they have copper runing in the slab then they will have some issues down the road that are not simple to resolve.
In this case, the need to cap off what was described as copper supplies to the tub are no different than the rest of the system in the concrete (assuming it is copper). So, although i agree that burying copper is not ideal and has the potential for future failure, the existing system in the slab has 15 yrs on it.
Why would you not be ok with the cap and sleave? That is the proper method.
I guess the dissagrement is in terminology... but i am from Tn so we talk funny.
Actually it's Galvanic corrosion.
Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals are immersed in an electrolyte. Concrete and water can produce an electrolyte sufficient to cause Galvanic corrosion. The two dissimilar metals begin to act as a battery and the small dc current is what causes the corrosion.
Of course, you haven't identified the "dissimilar metals". If solderless joints are used, or the joints are insulated then (in theory) no galvanic action will occur.
Oops mentioned soldered caps. Even copper pipe has impurities in it that can eventually result in pinhole leaks due to galvanic corrosion.
But the pinhole leaks due to impurities occur anyway, due to the water INSIDE the pipe.
Only when the PH is other than 7.00000000000.
Actually, pH doesn't affect galvanic action that much. All that's needed is for the water to be conductive. (And a pH higher than 7 is actually more protective of the copper.)