Eddie's Shower/Concret Slab Dilema

Hello, I figured I'd jump in on this thread also, as I have the same problem.

Ripped out my old downstairs shower (On a slab).....after removing the mortar bed for the shower, I have a 2" pipe sticking up....I'm also wondering how I can retrofit a new pvc drain to this old clunker of a pipe.

Now before everyone tells me to chop out the cement, and replace the whole trap, I already been there, done that. Got my trusty dewalt hammer drill, started chopping, and then my heart sank.........

Yup, I have radiant heating. I dented the copper radiant pipe, but did not break it (Thank god!).

So, there ended my quest for replacing the trap and all associated pipe back to the stack.

Any suggestions on retrofitting this shower drain (I'll be doing a mud floor again).

Thanks much.....

Eddie In Long Island NY

[LonnythePlumber]

Break out the rest of the concrete. You may want to fix the dented copper pipe anyway. I hit an underslab water pipe last week. No big deal. It's important to have good drainage to protect your tile work.

Hi Lonny,

Thanks for the reply.

I'm just a little hesitant about going in and chopping. When I dented the first pipe (apprx 5" away from he drain) the one thing I did notice is that they used flexible copper for the radiant heat.

I have this nightmare about trying to sweat a coupling on a copper pipe that isn't round enough to get the coupling on (Because the Inner & Outer diameter of the pipe is reduced from being "Flexed" around the shower area).

Dont want to turn this bathroom project into a "Baseboard Heating project" right now.

Best,
Eddie

[LonnythePlumber]

Another nightmare can be when you have to tear out your new work when the pipe starts leaking. We do use soft copper and the roundness isn't really the problem. It's getting solder to stick to old pipe and being able to solder with water in the line.

[cx]

Welcome, Eddie.

Looks like you'll be with us for a while so best you start your own thread. You'll get lost in this one and you'll confuse the people trying to help Alison with her problem. We can move your posts to your new thread.

Listen to Lonny. It's not likely to be that big a deal to repair the radiant copper after you do the tear-out. And you need to do your drain plumbing correctly or you may be wasting all your time, effort and dinero building that fine new shower. Just use a little patience when you get to the part of the radiant tubing that will require repair, chip the concrete around it carefully. Your favorite plumber may let you borrow his little swaging tool to make it nice and round again, or even open it up so you don't need a fitting at all (little tougher with old copper but works well with a little care).

My opinion; worth price charged.

Actually, I'll make you a new thread, Eddie. We can rename it anything you want.