Re: New home....concrete floor or crawl for plumbing repair ease ???

Posted by hj on September 07, 1999 at 08:43:14:
In response to Re: New home....concrete floor or crawl for plumbing repair ease ???
In Arizona, I don't think they would even consider a crawl space no matter how much you wanted to spend. The water piping is all under the slab and there are relatively few problems. The majority of the underfloor leaks are caused by the plumber kinking the tubing when he comes up in the wall and the hot water flexes the kink. Over time the constant hot/cold cycles cause the kink to develop a crack. If this were to occur, you homeowner's insurance normally covers the cost of the repairs, minus your deductible and the cost of actually repairing the pipe.If the water piping, particularly the hot water, is enclosed in a foam insulation, which you should do anyway for energy savings, you shold have no problems. : I am considering building a new home and need a little advice. My builder uses concrete block : fondations with a concrete floor (pea gravel is used under the floor where the pipes are run) and : they use a foam sleeve type insulation where the copper supply pipes come thru the concrete. : They offer a crawl space for 6000.00 dollars more. : My concern is how probable...and difficult a leak would be to repair with this kind of construction. : I would hate to spend 6000.00 just to be able to get at the plumbing, but if this is the smarter : investment.....I will !!! : It does appear that they only do PVC waste pipe joints under the slab.....all the copper pipe looks : to be flexible single pieces (no sweat joints). : BTW I live in central Indiana. : Any input would be VERY appreciated !!! Yours, Terry

Posted by hj on September 07, 1999 at 08:43:14:

In response to Re: New home....concrete floor or crawl for plumbing repair ease ???

In Arizona, I don't think they would even consider a crawl space no matter how much you wanted to spend. The water piping is all under the slab and there are relatively few problems. The majority of the underfloor leaks are caused by the plumber kinking the tubing when he comes up in the wall and the hot water flexes the kink. Over time the constant hot/cold cycles cause the kink to develop a crack. If this were to occur, you homeowner's insurance normally covers the cost of the repairs, minus your deductible and the cost of actually repairing the pipe.If the water piping, particularly the hot water, is enclosed in a foam insulation, which you should do anyway for energy savings, you shold have no problems.

: I am considering building a new home and need a little advice. My builder uses concrete block
: fondations with a concrete floor (pea gravel is used under the floor where the pipes are run) and
: they use a foam sleeve type insulation where the copper supply pipes come thru the concrete.
: They offer a crawl space for 6000.00 dollars more.
: My concern is how probable...and difficult a leak would be to repair with this kind of construction.
: I would hate to spend 6000.00 just to be able to get at the plumbing, but if this is the smarter
: investment.....I will !!!
: It does appear that they only do PVC waste pipe joints under the slab.....all the copper pipe looks
: to be flexible single pieces (no sweat joints).
: BTW I live in central Indiana.
: Any input would be VERY appreciated !!! Yours, Terry

Replies to this post

Re: New home....concrete floor or crawl for plumbing repair ease ??? Bernard 20:01:29 03/14/02(0)