I'm trenching in a water line and have I some questions.

[Diyit]

We recently put a mobile home on our property and in order to save some money I'm going to do the plumbing work myself. I have some diy plumbing experience and some general knowledge about plumbing, but I'd like to do this job right to avoid any problems in the future.

There is already a home on the property and I'll be tying into the existing 3/4" water line. 1. How much gravel do I need to have at the bottom of the trench? I'll be using pex pipe. 2. What's a good way to prevent frozen pipes where the water line comes up from the ground to the house. I'd really like to avoid electric heat tape if possible.

I'd really appreciate some advice here. I'd be happy to answer any questions If I haven't provided enough information. Also, feel free to give me any tips/pointers.

 

[frodo]

NO GRAVEL I REPEAT STEP AWAY FROM THE GRAVEL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


you want soft dirt around your water line, water lines will contract and expand

putting a rock next to it is asking the rock to rub a hole in it over time

my advice, do not use pex for your water service, use 3/4'' pvc instead

or better yet. 1'' i like a large volume of water at my hose bibs.


insulate the pipe, and use CHILDERS CP-11 VI-CRYL MASTIC COATING

to paint the insulation to water proof it, available at a plumbing supply house

use rubatex insulation with contact cement to stick it tigether

 

[Diyit]

I really appreciate your quick and detailed response. I'll follow your advice.

I also plan to tie our toilet into the existing septic tank while running grey water off (legal here). Is it okay to tie just the toilet in? Or should I also tie in the shower (or something) to help flush waste from the pipe to the septic?

 

[Chris]

We install water with sand if needed or native backfill. Sewer mains are laid in gravel and backfilled to above the pipe then native.

 

[frodo]

only required fixtures for a septic is the toilet, and garbage disposal,

all other is grey water, i have only toilets going into my tank every thing else bypasses

 

[frodo]

We install water with sand if needed or native backfill. Sewer mains are laid in gravel and backfilled to above the pipe then native.

we use sand for both, gives us 100% compaction after we hose it in

thats how we get around using a tamper

 

[Chris]

Gravel does not need compaction and locks together to keep pipe like SDR 35 round. You are correct if you jet your sand it will give you compaction as well but won't help keep the pipe from ovaling.

 

[frodo]

we dont use sdr, [its ****] only sch 4o

 

[Chris]

I have never had any sort of issue with SDR pipe, it is what is required for all city mains out west here.

 

[frodo]

We have some of the worst clay you have ever tried to deal with.

have you ever heard of Yazoo clay { montmorillonite} ?

I have taken a trencher with 12'' teeth on it, and dug a ditch 3' deep.

only to have the ditch close up behind the trencher like a zipper on a pair of pants.

and it is heavy, sticky, sticks to your shovel.

It moves up and down "pumps" in the ground.

thats why we do not use sdr, it gets crushed to easy.

 

[Chris]

What do they use on mainlines in the road out there?