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Copper pipes under concrete slab

Mathew
last year

I've gone under my house to see if I can find the cause of the high moisture in our home. While crawling around in the damp ground, I came across copper pipes and noticed blue/green corrosion(?) where it goes into the ground underneath the concrete slab. The front of the house is on piers, while the back has been extended on a concrete slab.

The two pipes on the left are for water and the right is for gas. When I touch the ground/dirt around the pipes, the dirt crumbles easily.

I've had two plumbers look at the photos (while on-site to provide quotes to troubleshoot the subfloor moisture), and they suggested to wait and see until there's a problem.

Appreciate any comments or advice on cause, or if I should be looking to have this fixed / replaced before there is a problem / leak?

Thanks in advance.




Comments (5)

  • Kate
    last year

    Turn off all taps in house. Check your water meter and record number. Come back an hour or more later 9longer the better for small leak) and see if it has moved to indicate a leak first. Discount any dripping taps by catching an measuring that water.

    Mathew thanked Kate
  • dreamer
    last year

    Ideally the copper pipes should have been wrapped to insulate against the concrete expansion and contraction. However , that is not often done. How old is the extension that has the concrete slab? It looks like it is already failing, doesn’t look like one piece of poured concrete it looks like broken concrete. Is the actual concrete slab cracked and bringing in moisture? Good suggestion by Kate to monitor the water to check for water leak. But it may be ground moisture coming through the concrete.

    Mathew thanked dreamer
  • Mathew
    Original Author
    last year

    @dreamer Thanks for your response. To answer your questions:


    How old is the extension that has the concrete slab?

    The extension was done in the past 2-3 years. The previous owners did the extension and we bought and moved in last year.


    It looks like it is already failing, doesn’t look like one piece of poured concrete it looks like broken concrete.

    I think the concrete slab is above the red sheet. I am not sure what is surrounding the pipes.


    Is the actual concrete slab cracked and bringing in moisture? But it may be ground moisture coming through the concrete.

    Not that I know of. The ground under the house is definitely damp. We are on sloped land and believe there is rainwater going under the house through the soil due to lack of appropriate sub-ground drainage in the backyard to capture and divert the water from going under the house.

  • dreamer
    last year

    Maybe, with your last paragraph, you have answered your own question as to why your house has high moisture.

  • PRO
    Beach Bathrooms
    last year

    Stop water running under your home, Construct a drain across your home, A plumber would be best advice. Underneath your home should be always Dry

    Mathew thanked Beach Bathrooms