Hello all,
I have been searching on the Internet to find out if I can use PVC to replace my resting steel main water line. So far nothing definitive came out.
I live in San Jose California, so cold weather is not much of a factor.
My main goal is to get something that does not rust.
Thanks,
Deguza
Main water line where? In a basement in a home? Underground from the street? A quick call to the plumbing inspector would give the correct answer. California may have requirements specific to earth quake issues. For lines from the street here in NJ they have been using poly for decades now. I would think that's an excellent choice for CA underground too. It's tough and flexible. PVC is hard and easier to crack with movement.
San Jose has a nice office that you can all to find out the answers to such questions. Or you can call valley water (or great oaks in parts of south SJ) and ask them.
I'm aware of at least one home in SJ that replaced the feeder from the main water valve to the house with 1" PVC
35 years ago.Are you talking externally or internally?
I agree with Trader. They make a blue (PEX?) line just for that in
3/4" or 1". It is tough, flexible and seamless.Those are good attributes for something you never want to see again. PVC is popular here but the ground doesn't move around a lot. They still use the PEX on new water services.
The current galvanized steel pipe is underground from the street to the external wall of the house. Then it goes into the crawlspace.
Thanks for the suggestions. Since I wrote my initial question, I found a PDF document from the San Jose city permitting department. It explains things a little.
I also dropped them an email with some questions if PEX can be used, since they say that I should use the same material throughout the piping. If I would use PEX, it needs to couple to steel pipe going into the crawlspace.
Valley Water seems like the water source management agency, however, I will contact San Jose Water. the water distribution company, as well.
I found out that there are different grades of PEX. The way it seems PEX - a is the one that I need to use.
Uponor (formerly called Wirsbo) brand is getting good reviews. HD (Home Depot) seems to be carrying it, however, HD seems to be pushing a different brand. Some people said in their reviews that they did not like the different brand.
One more question folks:
What is the best practice (I will also ask the city if I can get hold of them!):
Do I change the line all the way to the water company junction, or can I do a partial replacement? There is a portion of the line that is under the sidewalk. I am trying to avoid breaking the sidewalk concrete and start from the edge of it.
Thanks,
Al
If you dig down on both sides you can probably "jet" the pipe under the sidewalk. I shot a 2" pipe 22 feet under my garage. Ymmv depending on your soil. Under a sidewalk should be trivial unless this is bank run gravel. (more rock than dirt)
We've got a couple hundred feet of PVC running from the meter up at the road to the house in addition to the entire house being plumbed with PVC . The only time we had a problem was when a gravel truck ran over the meter box . It was pushed down putting a strain on the line right at the meter and the NPT to PVC adapter cracked a couple of years later .
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