Drilling Through the Concrete

I once made some holes through my foundation using a hammer drill I rented at the HD. I think my bit was 1 1/4", but you might be able to get a larger bit.

Any manly tool rental place will have lots of options. Just don't wear your tree hugger t-shirt ;-)

To drill a hole the size of the insulated pipe, you will need to core bore it. You can rent them also

I rented from HD to do it. It's actually pretty easy boring. . . . UNTIL you hit the rebar. Rebar responds well to the gas wrench ;-)

Use ear plugs, safety glasses and a dust mask. Concrete dust is bad for you. Drilling goes surprisingly quickly. See if you know anybody with a metal detector (like a stud finder) as they can help avoid a major slow-down in the drilling.

In a poured concrete wall- look for the snap ties- the things that held the forms apart & then together when the concrete was poured in. At any rate the rebar is usually installed right on top of the ties so avoid this area if possible
We core drill concrete, or use a large hammer drill- drilling several holes then chopping out the middle. This rough surface as opposed to the nice smooth one you get from core drilling will provide a better place for the concret patch to adhere.
Lastly, we use drylok fast plug for concrete repairs- it dries fast (very fast) and stops leaks
Good Luck C

e bay sells those used bits cheep. i think mine is 5'' to get the 4'' thormo pex in.

see link

http://cgi.ebay.com/5-5-inch-TURBO-...tcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Or hire a concrete cutting and coring company Around here 100- $150.00 would get that hole through a wall. They know how to get through rebar also. It may be less hassle and cheaper in the long run.

Another option is to drill a bunch of small holes with a roto hammer around the diameter of the hole and break out the "slug" with a single jack or chisel bit in the roto hammer.

I'd second the ear plugs, dust mask, and gloves for the job.

And hang on to the roto hammer when drilling, they like to twist from your grip sometimes.

hr

i wish i only had 8" to go through. my install will have me busting a hole through a 2 foot stone foundation. anyways - be real careful with the coring bits, as stated above they can take you for a ride, bust out teeth, break wrists....etc. probably not trying to rush through it and taking your time will be the way to go.

core drilling works best. They have the equipment and knowledge to do the job. Their system works with water to lube the drill and keep the dust away. A hammer drill or K12 works but makes a lot of dust and is subject to become larger than necessary. core drill will go through steel.