Gas pipe under concrete floor in kitchen

[Mikey_A]

Hi, can a gas pipe be laid in a channel in concrete floor and then concreted over?

Gas supply to a new hob in kitchen is over the other side of room so need to get supply over there. I'm doing all the prep work before the plumber comes to put the pipes in. So just making sure before I chase out concrete floor.

Thanks

 

[Dan Robinson]

Yes, but surely the RGI doing the pipe has advised you of what he wants?

 

[GeeTee]

Just be a little careful what concrete mix you use, some can be acidic and eat away the copper pipe over time.

Refs (copper and concrete construction respectively):
http://www.copper.org/applications/plumbing/techcorner/problem_embedding_copper_concrete.html
http://www.concreteconstruction.net/copper/corrosion-of-copper-in-concrete.aspx

And from my own experience - I've had 3 pinhole type leaks in copper water pipes (2 hot 1 cold) that were laid in the concrete floor slab of the extension on my house. On digging up the floor to repair the leaks all the pipework in the floor slab is crusty green and corroding. That said, the pipes and extension date back 25 - 30 years and predates my living here so I can't say what was used regards concrete and/or quality of pipe. Given I also found a flexible tap connector embedded in the concrete connecting two bits of cold supply (also leaking), I don't have much faith that any of the extension was done "right", so take this as anecdotal evidence only. Worryingly there is copper gas pipe in that slab somewhere too :/

 

[Dan Robinson]

Which is why it needs to be protected from the concrete.

As with all these threads, one has to wonder why it is the homeowner asking the question. If they are doing the prep work, then they should be making sure the poor s0d doing the install is happy, not some anonymous person on the interweb.

IF they are in fact doing the whole job themselves, then the fact that they are obviously not competent, and should not be encouraged.

Further, if they are prepping the job BEFORE the end fitter has seen it, then they are almost certainly wasting their time and that of the fitter.

 

[GeeTee]

I'm confused.

The original question was: "Hi, can a gas pipe be laid in a channel in concrete floor and then concreted over?

You replied: "Yes, but surely the RGI doing the pipe has advised you of what he wants?"

I replied with a couple of links and some green crusty pipe experience in my own concrete slab.

You then reply: "Which is why it needs to be protected from the concrete."

So which is it? Yes copper pipe can be laid in concrete or only if it is protected?

This is mind-boggling:
As with all these threads, one has to wonder why it is the homeowner asking the question.

It is the home owner asking the question because this is diynot.com - a place where DIYers congregate and the OP wants to do some of the preliminary grunt work it seems.

And I quite agree, the OP should be seeking advice from their RGI as to how to proceed rather than asking random strangers on a DIY site. However I stop short of judging their competence.

 

[gas112]

The channel will need to be deep enough to provide 25mm of coverage above the top of pipe also

 

[Agile]

And I quite agree, the OP should be seeking advice from their RGI as to how to proceed rather than asking random strangers on a DIY site. However I stop short of judging their competence.

But us "random strangers" are all RGIs ( in spite of what you may think!

 

[GeeTee]

But us "random strangers" are all RGIs ( in spite of what you may think!

I know that and I appreciate the time you guys put in answering inexperienced daft questions from the likes of me

I like to think I know just enough to know that I really don't know a great deal at all - which makes me proceed with caution and ask when in doubt! I also stay well away from meddling with anything gas related around the house, I'm sure I don't know enough to work on that safely - the potential for poisoning myself or exploding myself and my neighbours gives me the willies!

 

[petertheplumber12]

Any mix will have a corrosive effect on copper, the pipe should be of the correct dia too, for the job it has to do, then it needs to be completely protected from touching any cement based product, right up to the point where it leaves the floor.

Trim off the protection after the floor is refilled and if its 2 inches of screed then run the pipe on the concrete under the screed.