[bassadict69]

This is protruding out of the slab of my house and has been this way for many years. I want to say I even remember seeing this as a child growing up. Several years ago, we had all floors ripped out and there were no cracks or problems with the concrete slab.

What is this?

 

[de-nagorg]

Are the wires solid?

If so, it is a grounding system that looks to be cut off.

If they are several little wires in a sheath, it is a phone system that has been cut off.

Too hard to tell by the picture which it is.


ED

 

[stadry]

just a guess but are they concrete snakes ? i don't think they're poisonous to humans OR pets :biggrin2:

 

[r0ckstarr]

just a guess but are they concrete snakes ? i don't think they're poisonous to humans OR pets :biggrin2:

It might be a copper-tubing weed. Known to wreak havoc on lawnmower blades. :laughing:

 

[Canarywood1]

Could be post tensioning tendons, but they are in a plastic duct's or sleeve's, maybe why your floors didn't have any cracking.

 

[joed]

looks like the remains of a copper cable that has been cut off and unwound. May have been part of the electrical system ground.

 

[ddawg16]

Looks like the non-poisonous species of HerbiousCopperous. Know to play dead until you mess with it and then it bites you.

 

[r0ckstarr]

Being serious here. Are you certain that it is coming out of the foundation and is not just near it?

Any reason why it couldn't be pushed down and buried so as not to pose a trip hazard?

Also, if it is a snake, how come nobody called it a Copperhead? :laughing:

 

[bassadict69]

It is definitely coming through a hole in the slab. It looks like unwound rebar to me. My wifes ex did post tension and she said it looks like a busted post tension cable. It is hard and stiff. The hole it is coming out of is round and does not look like the cable busted through it.

 

[bassadict69]

Here are a couple pics that are a little better...

 

[ddawg16]

Rebar is not wire....just solid steel.

So if they do post tension slabs in your area, that could be it....but it looks like you are missing the cap.

If it was me, I'd be checking the foundation to see if there are any other spots like this and to see if the post tension caps are in place.

 

[de-nagorg]

If it is steel cable a magnet will stick to it.

If copper, scratch it with your pocketknife, it will be copper colored.

Either way you can probably cut it off short, and cover it with mulch and forget it.


ED

 

[bassadict69]

Rebar is not wire....just solid steel.

So if they do post tension slabs in your area, that could be it....but it looks like you are missing the cap.

If it was me, I'd be checking the foundation to see if there are any other spots like this and to see if the post tension caps are in place.

Not sure what I would be looking for when looking for these caps. There is another one of these just like this one on the opposite side of the house, but at the other end of the house.

That is what I think I will end up doing...cut it off and forget it. As I said earlier, it has been this way many years and not caused any problems other than being an eyesore.

 

[de-nagorg]

Being in La. you do not have much danger of water getting in there and freezing in winter and cracking the slab.

Still I would plug the hole with something after cutting these off.

PL Construction adhesive comes to mind as a plug.


ED

 

[bassadict69]

Thanks for the help! That is what I will do!

Why is it that every time I come back to check this post, it is in a different forum?

 

[Canarywood1]

Those latest pic's are much better, and that's what they are, post tension cables.

 

[bassadict69]

Those latest pic's are much better, and that's what they are, post tension cables.

Am I ok just cutting them, or is there something else I need to do?

 

[Tscarborough]

Definitely post tensioning cables, they are normally cut off immediately behind the wedges and grouted. You should cut them off as close to the wedges as possible, then clean and grout the hole. Non shrink grout is the correct material to fill them. You should also dig around the foundation and make sure they are all grouted. They will probably be 24" o.c., and if the wedges rust out, your foundation will no longer be crack free.

 

[Tscarborough]

Also , be aware that they will under tens of thousands of pounds of tension, and if the wedges let go, it can be very dangerous.

 

[bassadict69]

Wedges?