Is it ok for copper pipes to pass through concrete?

[KeRa]

I heard recently that the lime in concrete can attack copper pipes.

However, I see that one of my radiator pipes appears to pass into a concrete floor. Is this good practice?

It does not go for far, before rejoining the routing of all the other pipes that pass through wood and then run in a channel with a wooden floor panel screwed over it.

KeRa

 

[gas4you]

All copper pipe should be protected from contact with cement/screed/concrete floors wherever possible.

Usually best to use plastic coated copper.

Apart from the corrosion aspect it will also help letting the copper expand if it is used with hot water services of any kind.

 

[Goldspoon]

I asked a builder about this recently and his reply was "if running pipes in concrete was a problem then there would be houses flooding all over the country on a daily basis". Obviously "belt and braces" is often a good policy but does he not have a point?

 

[gas4you]

From the unfortunate amount of copper pipes leaking in screed/concrete floors I come across, I would have to disagree with him.

 

[DP]

I can only assume (Bob) the builder only builds but is not involved in carrying out repairs. Have first hand seen effects of pipes encased without thought.

 

[Kev F]

ive also seen a few pipes in floors being corroded to pieces

 

[Agile]

I asked a builder about this recently and his reply was "if running pipes in concrete was a problem then there would be houses flooding all over the country on a daily basis". Obviously "belt and braces" is often a good policy but does he not have a point?

Builders rely in doing poor quality work, getting paid and then leaving others do sort out the problems aftere they have gone.

Its others who are faced with totally inaccessable pipework, tiled over access panels and unprotected pipes burried in concrete.

If the concrete is completely dry there will not be any corrosion however since that cannot be guaranteed they should always be protected.

I fond that the most common causes of failure are a combination of poorly made joints and lack of movement for expansion.

Tony

 

[namsag]

In my area we have a lot of estates that where done with copper pipes in concrete un protected and to be honest we don`t get a lot of leaks it is a very very small percentage. Probably down to how thick the copper was in those days and the fact self cleaning flux was not used
But is a pain when it happens.
We also have a lot of iron gas pipe run in it and that does tend to rust through just as it comes out the concrete.

 

[KeRa]

Does the plastic coated copper pipe look a different colour or is the coating thin and transparent? Would I definitely know if my pipes were coated?

Tony,

You mention tiled over access panels. I was hoping that by laying ply on the panels and cement it would aid access in the future if required. However, when I laid the ply on top there seems to be some movement making me think I should screw it down rather than rely on the weight of the tiles. That would clearly restrict access and mean breaking up the tiles (although it is a small room). What are your thoughts on this?

Regards

KeRa

 

[Agile]

My view is that if I had soldered the joints and put them in foam insulation then I am happy for them to be cemented over as the chance of failure is so small.

Tony