Burying pvc water line

[Moon Lake Refuge]

Hey all, running a pvc water line at the cabin this year.  Planning about 6-12 inches underground.  I'm not worried about it freezing with water in it because we drain and blow out our lines every year, but with ground freeze around the empty pipe could there be enough pressure to break the pipe or ruin solvent welds?

Thanks,

[RebelSS]

I wouldn't think so, they run lawn sprinkling systems 6-8" down, and those seem to do OK. Just a thought.

[Moon Lake Refuge]

Just now, RebelSS said:

I wouldn't think so, they run lawn sprinkling systems 6-8" down, and those seem to do OK. Just a thought.

True... Just heard a couple horror stories lately.  Its only about 60-70 feet so I've also been thinking about just buying a run of pex.  I've heard people say they have had lines freeze solid with pex and thawed out and worked fine.

 

[RebelSS]

Around here, I'd be scared to use anything...! Our friggin' city water mains and house lines froze and split the Winter of 2013/14. 

[Moon Lake Refuge]

2 minutes ago, RebelSS said:

Around here, I'd be scared to use anything...! Our friggin' city water mains and house lines froze and split the Winter of 2013/14. 

Yeah in prescott last year I got a letter in the mail saying please turn on one of your faucets for the duration of the winter.  The city will estimate water usage and provide a credit.  If your water main breaks due to lack of water usage you will be responsible for the cost to repair.  I couldn't believe it but I turned a faucet on and called them up and said I better not see a water bill higher than any month I had the previous year.

 

[Juneau4]

Use the black under ground water line-no welds. That's what I've run at my cabin for the past 12 years and have had 0 problems.

My line is about a foot down.

[RebelSS]

4 minutes ago, Moon Lake Refuge said:

Yeah in prescott last year I got a letter in the mail saying please turn on one of your faucets for the duration of the winter.  The city will estimate water usage and provide a credit.  If your water main breaks due to lack of water usage you will be responsible for the cost to repair.  I couldn't believe it but I turned a faucet on and called them up and said I better not see a water bill higher than any month I had the previous year.

 

 

Same thing here; told to leave water on....BUT, Here, you got billed for it. Said they couldn't provide credits for all the people in this big, fulla money town. That's just not right. I had 38* deg at the main on mine, I didn't turn my water on. Bill is high enough as it is.

[Cooperman]

Just use the same thing they use for well lines running to your cabin, it's black polyethylene, or polypropylene, no joints.

[Walleyehooker]

Ya the black tube stuff like Coop said. Just like shallow irrigation lines as long as you blow them out no problem.

[delcecchi]

8 hours ago, Moon Lake Refuge said:

Hey all, running a pvc water line at the cabin this year.  Planning about 6-12 inches underground.  I'm not worried about it freezing with water in it because we drain and blow out our lines every year, but with ground freeze around the empty pipe could there be enough pressure to break the pipe or ruin solvent welds?

Thanks,

Nope. We have that black pvc stuff and have had no problems except for the time it was between a rock and a root and got pinched shut when root got big, or rock moved.  Just ran a new line, down a few inches.  Been fine ever since. 

[Moon Lake Refuge]

Black pipe it is.  Just bought a 100 foot roll so no fittings in the middle.  Thanks all! 

[jmd1]

Heck in Jan they told us here in Phx to leave a faucet drip in the furthest bathroom from the meter.  Only 2 nights of it, but still.  I did have an outside faucet freeze and blow off the back of the house years ago.  Forgot to wrap towel around it when it got into the 20's.  The black pipe you use is what most of my irrigation is run in here and it seems to be bullet proof.  Unless you have a lab that decides to do a bit of his own trench work.  

[delcecchi]

And of course, one blows the water out before sustained freezing temperatures.  

 

[Moon Lake Refuge]

On 3/19/2016 at 5:24 PM, delcecchi said:

And of course, one blows the water out before sustained freezing temperatures.  

 

Fortunately we only have to blow out internal plumbing in the cabin and and camper, all the lines in the ground all slope down to the pump house so when we open them up they are self draining.  Saves a little work there but I am planning on ripping apart some of the cabin copper this summer so I can put the main valve closer to the outside for draining purposes.  

[delcecchi]

Sounds like a good idea.  Anything that makes it easier is good. 

[Moon Lake Refuge]

4 minutes ago, delcecchi said:

Sounds like a good idea.  Anything that makes it easier is good. 

Definitely since water shut down has been right in the middle of deer season the last few years.  Don't like taking up that time but like to keep water on for the hot tub while we're up there roughing it for as long as possible!

[overdalimit]

At the resort we always run 2 lines. it is cheap and saves you digging it again in 10 12 years!