Re-routing Copper Pipes In Slab

DRIFT-O-MATIC

I just purchased a 12 year old house in Clearwater, Florida. I plan on converting the formal dining room into a third bedroom, since it will never be used as a dining room. It’s too far away from the kitchen. Anyway, the only place I can install a closet in the “bedroom” falls right where there are copper manifolds and tubing coming up from the concrete slab. My question is, can I chip away the slab around the copper pipes, lay the manifolds down below the surface, re-route the tubing out of my way, and then re-cover the manifolds with concrete? This would mean that solder joints would be below the later-applied concrete. Would there be any problems with doing this?

jmic

Have you considered building a wall in front of pipes with access panel in it to get to pipes or raising the floor in closet to get over them? Don't know if it would work for you just a thought, instead of moving pipes.

Teetorbilt

Drift, I often cap them and replumb from the water heater through the attic. Working on another one right now.

If you decide to chip, do it by hand. Most slabs are under stress and power hammer can cause it to crack.

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

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DRIFT-O-MATIC

I’ve been advised that it would not be a good idea to re-route the manifolds below slab surface and fill in over the top of them with new concrete. Reasons were that I would no longer have access to the manifolds, and also that the new concrete could apply different stresses on the pipes than the existing concrete slab.

This got me to thinking of an alternative. Could I dig out the concrete around the manifolds (gingerly by hand); then re-build them below the top surface of the slab; and, instead of filling over with new concrete, just leave the void and cover with plywood flooring? This would leave me with access, as well as provide me with a flush floor for my closet. Would this work?

TimNJ

That seems like a big gamble. I would go with Teetor's method, better in the long run.

DRIFT-O-MATIC

TimNJ,

I would like to be able to do what Teetorbilt suggested. However, I could not do it to the one line that is going back out through the slab to the detatched garage. I think I am going to have to do what jmic suggested, and build a step-up floor over the manifolds. But, to be able to mount the door inside the framework of the stud wall, I'm actually going to have to add another stud wall onto the existing one. This will allow my door to extend all the way to the floor, in front of the step-up floor of the closet.

rabadger

Will a pocket door work or will the manifold be in the way?

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Richard

jmic

Drift,
Frame the raised part of the floor inside of the closet so your door opening will still go down to the slab and look normal. Follow?
Joe