Here’s a construction detail which I’m curious about. The water service line for my house currently under construction is copper and will be coming up through the basement floor slab, in contact with the concrete. Should I not be putting something such as pipe wrap around the pipe as it passes through the concrete? I’m aware of 50’s -era houses in my area (Niagara- Canada) where the copper IFR tubing has eroded from corrosive effects of the concrete. (Probably worse in winter-pours because of extra salts in the admixture.)
What is normally done at this junction? Anybody out there with any experience or observations?
Thanks – Brian
Replies
The pipe should only be incontact with the cement where it penetrates the slab (if it runs any distance under the slab, like for a house with no basement, built directly on a slab) the pipe should be in the dirt/gravel below it and only penetrate at one point.
It is commonly done to put a short piece of foam pipe insulation around the pipe at this point, more for the convenience of the concrete placing people (helps them avoid any damage to the pipe), but also insulates the pipe from the slab (movement, chemical attack, etc.).
I've seen supply run thru cement with a foam 'jacket' at the penetration, and I've seen it done without so don't think that it is required by code. Maybe the short (4 ~ 8") distance of contact, and since there are no joints at all in contact, is ok for direct contact x cement.
For peace of mind, the foam-around-the-pipe is easy, simple and cheap insurance I think worth doing.
Hope this helps.
My house is 40 years old, has flexible copper pipe coming up through the slab. It doesn't show any telltale green, so I assume it's OK. If I were building new, I wouldn't do it that way. I agree with the others, sleeve it with something.
That is a code item here. all copper should be encase in a vinyl sleeve with the correct color coded per temp. from where it enter the house to where it exits the slab. this is what the local inspectors make us do.
Thanks Guys - I'll have the builder sleeve it if I'm not there at the right time to do it myself. I'm also going to check with the building inspector to see what is done around here, although I'm aware the this Forum is "Fine" Homebuilding, not "The-Way-Most-Houses-Are-Built" Homebuilding. ; ) Regards - Brian.
Edited 12/9/2002 8:19:09 PM ET by MARKLS8