Copper Pipes in Concrete
 

I am refurbishing my utility, and want to bury some exposed 15 mm pipes in
the concrete floor.

I expect I'll need to check for other pipes first, but any other
considerations or advice, please?

--
Paul Roberts
01206 761754

"Paul Roberts" wrote in message


I am refurbishing my utility, and want to bury some exposed 15 mm pipes in
the concrete floor.

Tape them up to insulate them chemically if they are copper and put some
rockwool over them too if there is room.

I expect I'll need to check for other pipes first, but any other
considerations or advice, please?

Before you chop out the channels? Obvious one that.

How deep were you thinking of going? :~0


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

You should use Denso tape, which is available from a plumbers merchant.
It's horrible stuff to apply, but protects the pipe from corrosion.

I am sure other members of the group will debate what type of joint to
bury. I personally felt that a soldered joint made most sense if buried
as compression joints can sometimes weep a little bit.

"Michael Mcneil" wrote in message
news:c49813f59572b81964016cf5bbc6d096.45219@mygate .mailgate.org...
"Paul Roberts" wrote in message


I am refurbishing my utility, and want to bury some exposed 15 mm pipes
in
the concrete floor.

Tape them up to insulate them chemically if they are copper and put some
rockwool over them too if there is room.

I expect I'll need to check for other pipes first, but any other
considerations or advice, please?

Before you chop out the channels? Obvious one that.

How deep were you thinking of going? :~0

If you don't protect them the concrete eats them away.

A friend of mine when he moved into a house near me in 1994 (built 1974)
kept on getting a "damp stain" on the lounge carpet. Anyway ripped carpet up
and there was a large damp area on concrete floor. Carefully chiselled out
and found two copper central heating pipes and one copper gas pipe that
fed/came from the back boiler. The gas pipe was wrapped in a sticky cloth
tape (Denzo tape ?) but the two copper pipes hot out and cold return to the
radiators where just embedded in the concrete. Both these pipes had tiny pin
prick holes all along their length very slowly leaking water causing the
damp patch. He simply replaced the runs under the floot, this time putting
the copper pipe in a plastic pipes (Hep2O ?) and problem solved.

"Ian Middleton" wrote in message
...
"Michael Mcneil" wrote in message
news:c49813f59572b81964016cf5bbc6d096.45219@mygate .mailgate.org...
"Paul Roberts" wrote in message


I am refurbishing my utility, and want to bury some exposed 15 mm pipes
in
the concrete floor.

Tape them up to insulate them chemically if they are copper and put some
rockwool over them too if there is room.

I expect I'll need to check for other pipes first, but any other
considerations or advice, please?

Before you chop out the channels? Obvious one that.

How deep were you thinking of going? :~0

If you don't protect them the concrete eats them away.

A friend of mine when he moved into a house near me in 1994 (built 1974)
kept on getting a "damp stain" on the lounge carpet. Anyway ripped carpet
up
and there was a large damp area on concrete floor. Carefully chiselled out
and found two copper central heating pipes and one copper gas pipe that
fed/came from the back boiler. The gas pipe was wrapped in a sticky cloth
tape (Denzo tape ?) but the two copper pipes hot out and cold return to
the
radiators where just embedded in the concrete. Both these pipes had tiny
pin
prick holes all along their length very slowly leaking water causing the
damp patch. He simply replaced the runs under the floot, this time putting
the copper pipe in a plastic pipes (Hep2O ?) and problem solved.


I concur. Copper reacts when in contact with concrete

"MrBlueSkye" wrote in message


I concur. Copper reacts when in contact with concrete

Of course copper or not, putting a plywood panel over them rather than
concreting them in would be easier for future-proofing them.


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

I am refurbishing my utility, and want to bury some exposed 15 mm pipes in
the concrete floor.

I'd use PEX, rather than copper, my feeling is that they're less likely to
leak. Also, it is better to not actually bury, but leave a trench and board
over the trench, so that if the pipes need servicing, it is just a case of
lifting the lino and undoing screws, rather than getting the jack hammer out
and demolishing the floor and what is left of the pipes. I'd still use PEX
in the trench, too.

Christian.

iirc there was a copper shortage resulting in a lot of iffy copper about
then which may have been a contributing factor
"Ian Middleton" wrote in message
...
"Michael Mcneil" wrote in message
news:c49813f59572b81964016cf5bbc6d096.45219@mygate .mailgate.org...
"Paul Roberts" wrote in message


A friend of mine when he moved into a house near me in 1994 (built 1974)
kept on getting a "damp stain" on the lounge carpet. Anyway ripped carpet
up and there was a large damp area on concrete floor. Carefully chiselled
out and found two copper central heating pipes and one copper gas pipe
that fed/came from the back boiler. The gas pipe was wrapped in a sticky
cloth tape (Denzo tape ?) but the two copper pipes hot out and cold return
to the radiators where just embedded in the concrete. Both these pipes had
tiny pin prick holes all along their length very slowly leaking water
causing the damp patch. He simply replaced the runs under the floot, this
time putting the copper pipe in a plastic pipes (Hep2O ?) and problem
solved.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
I am refurbishing my utility, and want to bury some exposed 15 mm pipes
in
the concrete floor.

I'd use PEX, rather than copper, my feeling is that they're less likely to
leak. Also, it is better to not actually bury, but leave a trench and
board
over the trench, so that if the pipes need servicing, it is just a case of
lifting the lino and undoing screws, rather than getting the jack hammer
out
and demolishing the floor and what is left of the pipes. I'd still use PEX
in the trench, too.

Christian.

How do you get a smooth enough finish to the floor to lay vinyl on and not
see the outline of the boarded trench? Lino may be a bit tougher, I guess.

mmzz wrote:
iirc there was a copper shortage resulting in a lot of iffy copper about
then which may have been a contributing factor
"Ian Middleton" wrote in message
...


My house was built in 1973 and is plumbed with stainless steel. I assume
that this is a consequence of the same copper shortage.

All the downstairs CH pipework is buried directly in the concrete
floors: does SS pipe survive better then copper when in contact with
concrete? There are no leaks yet.

Cheers,

Simon.

How do you get a smooth enough finish to the floor to lay vinyl on and not
see the outline of the boarded trench? Lino may be a bit tougher, I guess.

You can lay vinyl on plywood, no problem. Ensure that you get the shuttering
right when laying the concrete to give a nice 18mm step (or however thick
your board is) to lay the plywood into. Also, stuff some insulation above
the pipes and below the plywood to eliminate any weird convection effects.
Leave a couple of mm each side of the trench

Christian.

"GB" wrote in message
How do you get a smooth enough finish to the floor to lay vinyl on and not
see the outline of the boarded trench? Lino may be a bit tougher, I guess.

You can buy those trays but getting it all flat is more work than
running the pipes on an existing floor. I think by law now you're
supposed to leave access and cannot bury directly in concrete but I
doubt many do.

Regards coating the pipes, I've used a bitumen paint to cover them
over rather than tape.

Use PEX pipe. Install in as 'pipe-in-pipe', i.e., Pex pipe in a corrugated sleeve.