# moving water lines in the slab??



## younger-plumber (Sep 12, 2008)

contractor wants to move a wall and the entire loop system is in said wall... he is building one about 4 foot away so hes wanting to move the lines inside of the new wall. how can we do this ? theres no way around using fittings and by code we cant conceal them in the slab???
would silver soldering them make this acceptable?

did I mention he wants this done by sunday??? hahaha:no:


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Run the lines along the slab and up into the new wall. Tell the GC you'll need a raised floor in which to conceal the water lines. What else are you going to do if there can't be copper joints in the slab? Or just put copper fittings and joints in the slab and pour cement over them. That's the price to pay for not having a basement.


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

When you say "in the slab", do you mean in the concrete itself or in the dirt under the slab? I would bust out concrete to get to the copper in the dirt and then silver solder your fittings to move the manifold to the new wall. That's how we've had to do it in the past.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

chonkie said:


> When you say "in the slab", do you mean in the concrete itself or in the dirt under the slab? I would bust out concrete to get to the copper in the dirt and then silver solder your fittings to move the manifold to the new wall. That's how we've had to do it in the past.














'In the slab' means under the slab. {in the dirt}


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Tommy plumber said:


> 'In the slab' means under the slab. {in the dirt}


That's what i mean when i say it too, but others might be more literal and actually try to only bust down far enough to 90 just under the finish slab to keep from raising the floor. Some do some questionable things on here. Was just double checking. I've also had to do it the way you mentioned to do it with raising the floor.


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## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

Our inspectors don't care if we soft solder couplings under the slab, as long as it is properly wrapped with pvc tape and sleeved. Brazing old water lines seems like it puts alot of stress on the copper. 

We've seen too many pin holes pop up a few inches before the joints. I'm sure I'm about to have an onslaught of reticule here soon... 

:edit: we only will do that on 3/4 and 1/2


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## younger-plumber (Sep 12, 2008)

well we went ahead and made the connections in the slab. we will see what the inspector says on Monday. lol. I will post some pics tomorrow of the mess.lol.:laughing:


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## younger-plumber (Sep 12, 2008)

Nathan901 said:


> Our inspectors don't care if we soft solder couplings under the slab, as long as it is properly wrapped with pvc tape and sleeved. Brazing old water lines seems like it puts alot of stress on the copper.
> 
> We've seen too many pin holes pop up a few inches before the joints. I'm sure I'm about to have an onslaught of reticule here soon...
> 
> :edit: we only will do that on 3/4 and 1/2


 what is pvc tape?


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## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

I think it's also called shuretape. Only other time I've seen it used is on galvy gas lines where in the ground. Corrosion resistance tape.


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## BC73RS (Jan 25, 2014)

Polyken is a popular PVC tape up here. Double wrapped of course.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

BC73RS said:


> Polyken is a popular PVC tape up here. Double wrapped of course.



Polyken paint on pipeline primer is a much better solution for corrosion protection in the ground. The Polyken tape is hard to beat for a code approved option.

The inspectors usually don't like the Polyken primer because it looks like thickened black paint. Hard to confirm what it is. You'll see it used by the drum in the oilfield where corrosion is not only detrimental, it is just not an option.


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## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

That polyken tape and primer is good stuff, trying to get it off is a s.o.b though


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## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

I suppose that it depends on the inspector's interpretation in your area. Joints that are "silver soldered" are accepted under the slab. I have been told that is has to do with the idea that the joint is considered more of a weld than a solder. Not sure how correct that is.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Silver soldered joints under slab are code compliant here in Georgia.


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## supakingDFW (Aug 19, 2014)

dhal22 said:


> Silver soldered joints under slab are code compliant here in Georgia.


In Texas as well...


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