PVC Water Line Pulled Loose At T-Joint/Shrubs Might Go Away !!!

[MF243RedTop]

The 3 water lines come in at 3 different angles not even close to 90° and heights, I didn't install the pipe or plant the shrubs around them.
Original owner installed a 90 for the water supply and second owner added a T for a spigot in front yard...which is the pipe in top of pic..
And planted all the shrubs...
It was a wonderful afternoon fixing that mess!
Braced up pipe with bricks/blocks at stress points.
Glued at waited for each joint to set at stress points before moving to next.
Almost brought out the heat gun on them but didn't want to make a bigger mess..



I might just be the one to put the chainsaw on them now.. and coat the stumps with 2-4-D afterwards...
I found roots wrapped all around the pipes in several places...
Those shrubs are on death row!

 

[JethroB]

What a great way to spend New Years Day. And how many trips to the store for supplies missing from that cardboard box.

 

[MF243RedTop]

Only 1 trip to the store, I bought extra everything other than glue..
The ground was soaked and the cardboard was the handiest thing I had at the moment to lay on.
I'm 6'4" don't like working on the ground. Lol

 

[tallyho8]

I've had hedges pull the TV cables out of the wall and rip vinyl siding off the walls and make perfect expressways for termite entry.

 

[Bearsixty7]

The 3 water lines come in at 3 different angles not even close to 90° and heights, I didn't install the pipe or plant the shrubs around them.
Original owner installed a 90 for the water supply and second owner added a T for a spigot in front yard...which is the pipe in top of pic..
And planted all the shrubs...
It was a wonderful afternoon fixing that mess!
Braced up pipe with bricks/blocks at stress points.
Glued at waited for each joint to set at stress points before moving to next.
Almost brought out the heat gun on them but didn't want to make a bigger mess..

I might just be the one to put the chainsaw on them now.. and coat the stumps with 2-4-D afterwards...
I found roots wrapped all around the pipes in several places...
Those shrubs are on death row!

That's one of the main reason I bought my tractor WITH a backhoe! I have a large box with many different fittings. I also keep a yard of sand at the back of the yard and use it to fill in any lines I repaired. Make's it sooo much easier if I ever have to dig in the same are again versus the black gooey dirt we have here that sticks to the shovels. Funny thing is, I've only ever dug the same area once and that was to add another valve and zone for the garden...

 

[Oaktree]

What did/do these pipes go to? Lawn sprinkler?
I for one wouldn't want buried PVC pipe for my link to the well...black poly for me!

 

[MF243RedTop]

The sloppy install of the first tee and the roots that were wrapped around the pipes... Is most likely the cause of the failure.
With the way it's braced up now I hopefully won't see another failure...
I can thank another family member who lived here before me for the sloppy install and all the shrubbery planted on top of both water lines

 

[ultrarunner]

New neighbors down the road bought a 1950's estate...

The work crews have been constant almost as year now.

I noticed several pickup racks loaded with 2" PVC and a crew hand digging on the side of the drive on the down slope side.


I don't think I would go 1/2 mile glued PVC but the old galvanized after 75 years must have let go.

 

[ponytug]

New neighbors down the road bought a 1950's estate...

The work crews have been constant almost as year now.

I noticed several pickup racks loaded with 2" PVC and a crew hand digging on the side of the drive on the down slope side.


I don't think I would go 1/2 mile glued PVC but the old galvanized after 75 years must have let go.

Me, either, mainly because I think most folks forget about expansion and contraction with temperature. Plus here in California, the earth moves, and tends to pull on pipes which fractures joints. I would have done it in flexible polyethylene from a roll that is as large as possible. I don't know that I have seen 2" in a 1/2 mile roll; that's way out of my league. I think that you would have to have a couple of fuse joints in there.

Fun video, though perhaps not too useful if the land isn't flat...

All the best,

Peter

 

[EddieWalker]

From the picture, it looks like you used Blue Glue on your joints. If that's true, you will be doing this again. Blue Glue is OK for drain lines, but it's not very good for lines under pressure.

PVC needs to have a two part treatment to weld the joints together. Purple primer reacts to the PVC and softens it. Then Clear Cement is used to melt the fitting to the pipe. Both pieces will melt together, forming a solid weld that is stronger then just the pipe or the fitting. When this is done, the fitting will break apart before the pipe slides out of it.

Oatly sells a two piece set with the Purple Primer and Medium Duty Clear Cement that is good for sprinklers. Always buy new when doing a project. The Cement will thicken over time and not work properly if it's old. The Purple Primer will separate over time and become clear looking when it's no longer any good. It's not worth the risk of failure to use old cans of either. For me, it's it's been a few months, that's too old, and I buy brand new.

For water lines going to, and inside a building, the spend the extra money for the Heavy Duty Clear Cement.