Three years ago I ran some plastic tubing (which I believe was polypropylene) from my water softener in the garage, through the brick exterior wall and into my subsurface drainage system. The tubing cracked at the outside of the wall and before I replace it, I'd like some advice if polypropylene is the best material to use for this application.
I would be more inclined to "Tygon," which is the clear flexible stuff. Use some silicon caulk for a seal where you go through the wall. It has a LOT more "give" to it. My local Ace hardware carries it in all sorts of diameters with "jag" fittings, etc.
UV rays destroy it paint it next time . As for what type of paint you can even use latex. I would just use PVC it=92s used quiet often for chemical piping
If you can do without the flexibility, a system made of gray PVC electrical conduit and fittings is both tough and UV resistant. Indoor portion could be other material, of course.
Joe
Hello Professor, Thanks for the tip. I need to make a tight turn to keep the tubing out of the way. I wonder if Tygon's flexibility will make it likely to close off like a bent water hose.
Also, whatever tubing material I use, can't I completely eliminate UV degradation by wrapping the exposed section with electrical tape, duct tape, or both?
I'm curious about your drainage system. My softener was regurgitating down into a hollow, (a hollar here), and it killed 3 large oak trees. The salt got to the largest roots and even though they appeared healthy, strong winds knocked them down one by one. The largest roots where dead and black, others looked fine
For the last few years I've been letting it drain into the gravel in the pump house which is surrounded by a paved drive and the slab the house it on. No problems yet but I'd hate for it to reach a giant oak in front of the house.
Thinking of watering it down by draining it into the septic, but one of the leach fields goes close to the large oak I'm worried about.
Just the other day I saw these spring like things to put on "universal" automotive coolant hoses to make them bend where you want and to keep them from collapsing. Personally I'd probably just use some PVC.
Yes, but duct tape isn't very UV resistant.
Tony, Yes, the salt water discharge from a water softener is definitely harmful to plants. I only discovered that my line broke after it killed off half of my wife's flower bed.
Before I bought the house, the previous owner installed a drainage system because the back yard tends to flood. It all works by gravity. There are five cement wells, perhaps a cubic foot each, connected by 4" thin-wall PVC. Water flows into the wells through a screened grate, through the pipe, and out into the street where it goes down the storm sewer. Although it wasn't my design, if you have any more questions I'll do my best to answer them.
Also, if I were inclined to re-install the discharge line, I'd definitely use PVC this time rather than flexible tubing.
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