Baseboard pipe in basement: over or under door?

Sep 27, 2015 9 Replies

Hi, Finishing my basement and installing a (dedicated heating zone) baseboard around most (but not all) of the perimeter. Unfortunately, I *must* cross an entry door. What's the best thing to do?



  1. go over the top of the door and install bleed valves up high?
  2. break some of the concrete floor and go into floor (in a PVC or other non-corrosive material) sleeve? If this method, is there any flexible tube I can put into the sleeve? I refuse to attempt to sweat copper pipe in such an awkward situation.

Just curious on what other people have done, lessons-learned, and any other pros/cons.



Thanks Theodore.


I'll leave the "under/over" question for others. However, I will comment on your reluctance to sweat copper if the "under" option is chosen.

Consider using SharkBite connectors.

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Yeah , use those pieces of crap . OK , it might have been the wrong situation , but they used sharkbites to repair my water supply after the city ripped it up looking for a sewer line blockage . A year or so later we had to dig up the sidewalk again and do the repaor correctly with sweat fittings .

I replaced an old waterline with PEX and sharkbite and have had zero problems. Though it can be used within concrete there is a specific way it needs to be wrapped to protect it. My /guess/ is the problematic sharkbit used in concrete was either not wrapped or at least not wrapped properly. I like the idea of pushing it through a PVV pipe though...no breaking up concrete if a problem and no fittings underground.

Put it under the floor under the door. Sweat the tubes together above ground, then drop them in. and sweat them into the system

Not for burried connection on hydronics.

I'd use them to connect the copper to pex above ground on both sides. Use the pex underground as it will flex where needed to make the run.

Or just do the whole job with pex, saving all the joints and the cost of copper.

Inside a wall is OK according to the instructions. Underground requires special treatment.

I've looked at the design. My gut sense (back then) was they would not last very long. Thanks for the field report.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

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