I am in contract on a home purchase in Springfield, OH. A recent home inspection indicated concerns with copper water lines running through a 4" concrete slab on a home built in 1968. The report stated severe corrosion on copper water lines at the entrance into the concrete.

I would like to know more about current codes on what is required when running a copper line through concrete. Is a protective sleeve required? In a case where copper is directly exposed to concrete for this many years and corrosion is showing; what remedies are available to avoid the expensive task of digging up the concrete and putting a protective sleeve around the copper?

We have locked our interest rate in and are concerned that this problem may be the obstical from preventing us from purchasing this home.

I would appreciate any references you could provide.

It depends on if the copper pipe is the main or not. If it is the main, you can't avoid digging it up. If it is a loop to a fixture, sometimes it can be terminated under the slab and run thru walls or an attic. There is no cheap fix. If the pipe is corroded, it needs to be dug up and not just sleeved, but the bad part replaced and the this is sleeved.

The identified area is not the main. It is the master bath shower water line. My concern is...if the corrosion is found at this site, you could make the assumption that it is occuring at the other locations too! (i.e. 2nd bath, kitchen, etc..) The home inspection person could not gain access to the other locations.

You cannot make the assumption without seeing a different area also. This area may have been sleeved but not quite to the surface of the concrete. You would have to verify the lack of sleeving by inspecting the pipes at a different location.

It's tough to find the house of your dreams and have something like this pop up. Home inspectors do a good job overall but you need a plumbing specialist (unbiased of course) to look at it. Even with a clean bill of health I would insist on a WRITTEN warranty. Dreams sometimes turn into nightmares!!



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I'm encountering a similiar situation with possibly purchasing a home with copper plumbing in the concrete. What did you finally do?