Damaged underground PVC gutter pipe

[pinetree10]

Rented a trenching machine today to get the trench dug for running power out to an accessory building. Everything went smooth and relatively easy until I plowed right through a section of 4" white PVC drain pipe that was buried in my path. I had no idea it was even there because it seems like it should be somewhere else based on the orientation of the house and the exit pipe. Anyway, is it just a matter of cutting out the damaged section and replacing it with a new piece of PVC pipe and two PVC couplings or is there a better way like those black rubber sleeves that slide over the outside of the pipe and are secured with giant hose clamps? It seems to me that it would be hard to make the first option work because the couplings could never be a perfectly tight fit based on the fact that everything would have to be made to fit within the removed area and then spread out to make the connections.

Anyone have expertise in this area? Too bad this happened because I have very sandy soil and with the exception of a couple minor rocks it all would have been trouble free had I not run into this pipe.

 

[txdon]

I use expandable repair couplings like these. Hardware store may have 4".
Magic Plastics - EXPANDABLE REPAIR COUPLINGS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so9XZS0aD1s


Or the four 90˚s way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdYTg3oDKfU

 

[quicksandfarmer]

The rubber fittings are the way to go. The good ones are rated for burial, but downspouts are a pretty undemanding application -- no pressure, no risk of septic contamination -- so any will do. You're going to have to cut out the section of damaged pipe and do two joints to put a new section in. You could do a glued coupling for one of them, but I find that a pipe that has been buried for a while is hard to get clean enough to glue, and it requires more digging. I'd just do two flexible couplings. The big box stores or a well-stocked hardware store will have them.

 

[powerpace]

Get a piece of the same type of PVC cut two pieces long enough to extend about four inches on either side of the damage. Trim the damaged ends if needed. Clean the dirt off the old PVC with a wire brush. Slit both new PVC pieces in half. Liberally spread PVC cement on two pieces and apply one on top and one on the bottom. Quickly spread PVC cement to the other two new pieces and apply to each exposed seam. Tighten with screw straps to hold them in place.

Done it more than once and cheaper than fittings and less digging.

 

[Illini22]

They also make slip couplings that don't have a stop in the middle. You can "slip it" over the new piece, glue ends and then slide them into place. Spill a little more glue on the ends of the couplings and you done.

 

[daveshoot]

4" slip and compression couplings are going to be $$$. If it was a pressurized supply line, that's what you would probably want.

For a drain line, the Fernco fittings (the rubber deals with band clamps) will work fine, or you could try powerpace's suggestion.

 

[s219]

I did the same thing but with our sewer line. It was a surprise to see PVC chunks flying up out of the trench. Since I had the trencher on rental. I had to hustle to fix the damage and not derail the project. I used a sawzall to cleanup the damaged pipe, cut a new section to fit the gap, and used rubber sleeves and stainless clamps to connect the joints. Needed soapy water to help the rubber sleeves to slide over the pipe ends easily.

 

[pinetree10]

Thank you for all the feedback. I took care of it today. Here are some photos.

I too was surprised to see white pieces of PVC flying out of the trench, but these rubber things worked out great. Thank God for the good weather, some soft ground, and a Lowes nearby.

 

[Qapla]

That was the way to go. Last week I also hit a 3" line to a septic tank - with a ground saw trenching machine ... nothing new, we use one for a living.

The one I hit was right at a "Y" joint. We had to replace the "Y" and some pipe. Those rubber fitting work great and make easy work of what can be difficult done some other way. A 4" sip-fix can easily cost $40+ ... and that is from an irrigation supplier .... not sure HD or Lowes carries the 4" ones

 

[pinetree10]

I'm glad to hear someone who does this for a living thinks I made the right move because I don't want to have to dig this up again. I can't imagine anything ever leaking from those connectors unless a rock worked its way through somehow. One challenge I found was making a straight cut on the new pipe with a hack saw or a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade. Maybe guys who plumb for a living are better at it than I am or use a power mitre saw to make the cuts straight.