Water line trench

[DuckSlayer1017]

In Michigan this last winter a lot of people went months without water because their main feed into the house froze. The majority of the ones I heard about were on city water but all the feeds were 42" down. Don't think that the frost can't get down that deep in a really cold winter like we had in 2014.

 

[EddieWalker]

A big part of being a contractor is doing the job right for the best price. The requirements for this are one water line 170 away from the house. Going bigger has some advantages, but it also have some negatives. Cost is one of those things. Upgrading to a bigger line isn't a huge expense, but will he notice the difference at the end of the day? I don't think so. Not for this. If he where running the line to supply water to a cabin or something with multiple needs, then that might be different, depending on what he has to start out with.

I have several hundred foot hoses. I regularly hook them up together to get more length with the result of a 200 foot run. I have never measured my water pressure at the end of the hose, but know that my house water pressure is set for 60 pounds. I cannot tell the difference between the water pressure coming out from the 200 feet of hose to what it's like coming out of the water spicket at the house.

Eddie

 

[GPintheMitten]

You mention that you are a contractor in your response as too offer that your advice is more informed than others.
That's nice that you don't think he will have a problem. But what guarantee do you offer with your professional contractor advice. And what data do you use to make this professional advice.

The cost to redo and the frustration of not having satisfactory results is not worth it.

And I can't believe a professional would recommend such a shallow bury depth.
You say it won't burst if it freezes. Two things, who wants it subject to freezing, and it can burst. This from Wikipedia

"All pipes, including this copper exterior valve as well as PEX, can burst from freezing, although several reports suggest that PEX takes longer to burst under freezing conditions."

Cross-linked polyethylene - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[EddieWalker]

My advice is based on my experience. If you want to be an *****, that's fine. Dig the trench as deep as you want. For what the OP is wanting, I feel he would be fine with 2 feet, but if conditions warrant, it's pretty easy going deeper. In the end, will he notice any measureable difference going from half inch pex to a larger diameter. I say he wont.

Eddie

 

[GPintheMitten]

I'm not being a asterisk. I'm just concerned about bad advice that.might be taken as expertise.

 

[oldpilgrim]

Texas - 2 feet deep is ok.
Pa - 2 ft deep is not ok.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Texas - 2 feet deep is ok.
Pa - 2 ft deep is not ok.

Exactly.

 

[FTG-05]

My local Lowe's prices:

1/2" PVC 10' long: $1.94

1" PVC 10' long: $3.38

Difference: $1.44 per 10' length of pipe.

250 feet divided by 10 = 25

25 x $1.44 = $36. Plus add the cost of fitting's, didn't estimate it. I also didn't check other alternatives like rolls of tubing or 20' lengths, both of which should be even cheaper. But this illustrates why the cost of installation far outweighs the cost difference in pipe sizes. Using this example, it makes no sense whatsoever - to me - to install 1/2" pipe vs. 1".

 

[GPintheMitten]

Typically people use rolled plastic pipe like this. This is 400 foot long by 3/4" cost $140 just to give an example. But probably could be ordered in 200 foot rolls for a little less.

Shop ADS 3/4-in x 400-ft 160-PSI Plastic Coil Pipe at Lowes.com

Here's a pdf from the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center that discusses depth of footings which would be the same that I would use for buried water pipe. There's a chart showing footings required for manufactured housing without skirting which I think would be some good numbers to use. The chart shows different depths for different areas of Pennsylvania. I don't know what county the OP is in but these data are based on research. The shallowest is 36" and the deepest is 54"

http://www.engr.psu.edu/phrc/pubs/TB0101.pdf

 

[ultrarunner]

Could give it a try above ground to verify GPM...