I need to replace the pipes to outdoor faucets in my yard. I have metal pipe running from meter to house. I have a T already in place in this pipe. I want to:
1) Put a valve at the T so I can shut off all the water to the yard if necessary.
2) Put a plastic cover over this - one of those green plastic sprinkler valve covers, so I can have access to the valve whenever necessary.
3) From the valve, use PVC schedule 40 to run to the faucets in the back yard Maybe 100 feet total.
4) When I want a riser with a faucet, use maybe 2-3 feet of metal, and have the riser tee off from the middle of this three foot run of metal. That way you can kick and hit the riser, etc., and it won't break. Then back to PVC until we get to the next riser.
Any problems with this? I've ran hundreds of feet of PVC sch 40 and never once had a break - except for when I hit the risers. I'm thinking PVC is OK for the straight runs, and then metal for the risers so they don't break.
The line from meter to house is 100% metal. The PVC comes off of the valve at the T, so if the PVC leaks or breaks, I can shut it off immediately without effecting house water.
I'd use 1" black poly pipe. Easier to work with than PVC, cheaper, comes in 100 ft or longer lengths, etc. I think the pros and cons of various pipe for outdoor water runs was discussed in your previous thread. Don't know where you're located, but if freezing is an issue, you need to address it.
The black pipe in your basement is probably ABS. It's a hard plastic pipe, usually 2" or larger with fittings that are solvent welded (glued) in place. It's not rated for water supplies.
Black poly pipe is usually around 1" diameter, and comes in big rolls. You then use barbed fittings to transition to other pipe or fittings.
PVC is a hard white plastic, with solvent welded fittings. There are two different versions for drain lines (usually 1-1/2" and larger) and supply lines (usually 1" and smaller).
CPVC is a hard cream colored plastic that is designed for hot water use. You can use CPVC for both hot and cold water, but for a buried cold water line regular PVC works fine.
Note that PVC and CPVC can both be damaged by UV light so they should only be used indoors, or buried underground (The grey plastic electrical conduit is also PVC with added UV protectors, but it's not rated for water supplies).
Black poly pipe is nice for buried lines as it is flexible and has no connections other than the two ends. It works especially well for long buried runs (over 100'). However, installation can be a little tricky as the coiled pipe is like wrestling with a snake, and inserting the barbed fittings can be a pain. Also, while the pipe itself works great underground, the galvanized barb fittings do rust and corrode underground. If you need to repair a damaged line or add a tee in at a later date, it can be kind of tricky to get the barbed fittings in place. Poly pipe does work nice in situations where you can't keep things dry for solvent welding (working in the rain, etc.). It is flexible, but you still need to use the barbed fittings if you need to make a sharp turn.
I like PVC for underground lines. It's light, easy to install, and can make sharp 90 degree turns when needed (with the right fittings). Repairs and later alterations are easy, and it's easy to adapt to other pipe or fixtures.
If the faucets are out in the yard (not in an insulated building), you should use a "yard hydrant". These are built so the flow of water is actually turned off below ground, so the faucet won't freeze and break. You should be able to find these at any home center, but they look something like this:
I'm with you. Most conversation threads about the same length of tubing.
Yay! Go team! More threads! I'm waiting to have new threads on trenching, digging, couplers and fittings, and frost free yard hydrants. A couple threads on zoning and sectioning off pipe, and a few threads on types of valves, and their water flow resistance.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
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The OP of this group of discussions should getn the award for the most discussions on the same subject ever.....
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