Cement on copper pipe

[mo7]

Long story short - having a massive refurb - all copper pipes newly installed

I went to a lot of trouble of sinking some copper pipes for radiators in the floor by buying plastic ducting. I am aware that contact with cement may cause degredation of copper pipes in the long term - although doesn;t seem to be conclusive.

My builder had to do some patch repairs on my floor by laying screed (cement and sharp sand)

The muppet has only gone and covered quite a few pipes in the screed (I don't mean fully sink but on a few parts screed is touching the pipes and has dried onto it).

I did my best to wipe some off but some still remains.

I am particularly annoyed because I told him to avoid doing that - all it takes is to wrap some plastic around it. It woudl have involved VERY little work to cover the pipes up.

Anyway, is this a big deal or is it mainly stuff that is totally buried that is at risk?

Will I still be able to wipe the screed off after a day of drying time?

I suspect he will tell me that its no big deal and that I am being overly fussy.

The worrier in me is thinking of having pipes repalced (its only a few pieces) but that may be overboard.

The screed is touching primarily on the soldered joints (90 degree bends)

Thoughts?

 

[walterwhite]

Not good. Wrap the pipe in Denso tape before screeding. It will corrode as is....but you will probably have moved on by then...

 

[Best]

Hard to say really. The biggest risk is if cement gets damp.
I can't understand what you mean by screed touching the soldered joints? Surely all the pipe work below & slightly above the screed should have had insulation on it on every inch? Who installed the pipes?

 

[mo7]

Basicallys its complicated - the pipes go into a plastic duct - it is at the point where they bend down into the duct has has the screed touched

the pipes will not be INSIDE screed - what has happened is that he has been messy with screed and it has got onto the pipes

I have wiped some of the screed off

the pipes themselves will be laid in an empty duct

as such

Pipe and Cabling Ducting - Manthorpe Building Products

 

[Best]

The screed smearing the pipes will do little harm. But any solid part of screed on the floor should really be clear of the copper pipes for to prevent corrosion & allow expansion. Normally pipe insulation is adequate. Don't forget grout is cement & lots of jobs tend to have the copper pipes up to rad valves etc tiled around & grouted. They seem to come to little harm, although I prefer to have the last bit of pipe wrapped in insulating tape & the space around the pipe ungrouted, - especially above solid floors.
Really up to installer of pipes to cover them well IMO. I use 20mm conduit cuttings through wooden floors etc as a protection from abuse & plaster on first fix