# broken pipe under cement



## atichargr (Mar 29, 2009)

I have a broken pipe under the cement, it comes from the main floor to the basment where it then is under the cement out to a 4" pipe at the bottom of a stair well. water remains in the 4" pipe about 18 inches down... I would assume that the pipe from inside would enter above this water line correct??? now my solution would be to break the cement next to the 4" pipe towards the house, then remove broken pipe replace with pcv pipe gravel then new cement? correct? I would assume that the old pipe is below the cement and not with in it correct? 

thanks homeowner with a major water problem....
thanks
simon


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## Plumber101 (Feb 25, 2009)

Is this a drain or supply line?

Most pipe will penetrate the concrete and run in the soil below the concrete. If you bust out the concrete and have to run new pipe through or in concrete be sure to sleeve the pipe.

Looks like time to bust concrete..use a dust mask.


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## atichargr (Mar 29, 2009)

this is a drain line... It comes off of the kitchen sink/dishwasher, I would guess it is about 2 inches in diameter then it goes down through the ceiling and wall next to the door outside .. .there is a well/drain out side the door.. I would guess that the pipe comes towards the door then outside because if it went striaght outside from where it is in the house it would be under some cement stairs and I don't think that would be the case and I hope not .... the pipe goes straight into the ground then it must turn but about 3 inches from where the pipe goes in the ground the water is coming up throught the cement , must of been leaking for a long time to errode all the cement away... what would I sleeve the pipe with? this is actually my mothers house and she is now retired so I am going to do this for here since money is an issue... I would of tought iorn pipes would last for ever... I figure I will start outside where the 4" drain is and break the cement near that to see where the pipe is an where I can cut it to secure the new pvc pipe to it... any ideas on what the best way to break the cement up with besides a jack hammer would be apprciated...

thanks
simon


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## alifor (Apr 23, 2009)

*Same problem*

I'm having the same problem with a leaky drain pipe under my cement basement floor. My plan is to rent a cement saw and cut parallel on each side of where I THINK the pipe runs. Then cut some perpendicular lines and start smash with a sledge. Just thought that using the cement saw would make a more clean break of the cement rather than going jackhammer crazy! Still kinda curious about what kind of sleve to put on the pipe before cementing back up. Just fill around the new pipe with sand? gravel? Mines a PVC pipe not steal.


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## al's sewer (Apr 7, 2009)

Are you sure that is not a trap under the concrete. If it is it is suppose to hold water to keep sewer gas from coming into the house.


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## Grampa Bud (Apr 6, 2009)

If you have water coming up through the concrete floor and the basement floor is not pitching, then you should break/cut through where the water is coming up not where ever you THINK the line runs. A concrete saw does make a neater mess, but a mess is still a mess. If you have the room use a concrete "Partner" saw with a water hose attachment it will radically cut down on cement dust, but you wind up with a lot of concrete slurry to clean up and not knowing exactly where the break is you could slash good pipe to ribbons and not know it. A 110 VAC BOSCH electric concrete breaker with both a breaker tip and a spade tip from a rental shop is a better bet, but it is so loud you may have give the better half a couple hundred bucks to go shopping so she doesn't kill you.


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