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cutting copper pipes in concrete

9K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  oh'mike 
#1 ·
We're converting a back room in our home that used to be a self-contained unit, complete with its own toilet and shower cubicle. Our aim is to tear it all out and make the room a study, but one of the first orders of business is to remove the plumbing fixtures.

Firstly, I have to cap off the old toilet, which I'm hoping will be easy enough to do. Is there a prescribed method for doing the job?

Secondly, I have two copper pipes coming up from the concrete that have to be cut and sealed. Do I chisel out enough concrete to use a small pipe cutter on the pipes so that I can cut them off below floor level, or could the hammering create micro-holes in the pipe that could leak later? I was hoping to cut them at the appropriate height, cap them off with shark bites clamps or maybe conventional pipe caps, then concrete the entire hole over with hydraulic cement. I'll concrete over the toilet cap as well at the same time.

Any suggestions on how to go accomplish the tasks?
 
#2 ·
That won.t be fun---can you find the place where they start out? Near the water heater and the water main and kill the lines at the source?

If so do that first--far better to abandon dead lines----eaving lines under pressure that are abandoned and forgotten can cause a nightmare if they leak in the future.

If that can't be done---post a picture if you can and someone will walk you through the process.

slab should be opened enough to get to the gravel---then cut and cap with soldered connections.

Same with the toilet----get to gravel---cut and cap.
 
#3 ·
Hi again,
It's never an easy job, is it? I don't think I could cut through the slab, because as you can see from the picture, one of the pipes (the one curving away) comes out of the bottom corner where the wall meets the floor - if that's where it comes up from, I'd be dealing with the footer, rather than just the slab.

One of the thoughts behind using hydraulic cement to finish off the job was that I thought it would seal up any potential future leaks - that wouldn't work?

To answer your other question, no, I can't cut the pipes at the source, as I'd be cutting off the entire water supply to the house itself.
 

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#4 ·
It's a risky job but doable---you will need to open up the floor a foot or so on either side of the pipes and very carefully crack and remove the concrete over the pipes.

You may hit the pipes while jacking open the slab.

If you do--you will at
least know where there are and be able to avoid them as you enlarge the hole to expose a clean section to sweat on a cap.
 
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