My Industrial Cabin Build

747driver · Aug 8, 2021

X2 ^^ I have pex lines in our motorhome. I used all copper rings when doing replacement or repairs. I always try and connect my fittings before installing the lines in hard to get to places !

Your house is wider than it is deep. Use frost free hydrants for everything. Put 1 hydrant on each side of house in the back. I would think 3 across the front of the house would work. Just walk your front yard and ask yourself where would be a great spot to have water service . Do it all now and it will be done all at the same time...labor savings !

GLyford · Aug 8, 2021

If you have hard water, do not get the longest frost free valves. We have iron in ours as well, and it will plate out onto brass if allowed to sit (like over the winter) and essentially rust the brass threads. The frost free faucets have a long square valve actuator rod to get to the valve at the back. They don't upsize the rod for the longer faucets, so the longer the faucet, the easier it is to twist off the actuator rod. I have switched to using ball valve hose bibs and foam frost covers for cold weather. But mostly, I have resigned myself to replacing the faucets about every 3 years.

Carl_NH · Aug 8, 2021

GLyford said:
If you have hard water, do not get the longest frost free valves. We have iron in ours as well, and it will plate out onto brass if allowed to sit (like over the winter) and essentially rust the brass threads. The frost free faucets have a long square valve actuator rod to get to the valve at the back. They don't upsize the rod for the longer faucets, so the longer the faucet, the easier it is to twist off the actuator rod. I have switched to using ball valve hose bibs and foam frost covers for cold weather. But mostly, I have resigned myself to replacing the faucets about every 3 years.

Hi Gyford.

I agree with you the 9" or 12" Frost Free "spigots" that go in the wall of a house are not the best- I have had 2 fail internally - not due to freezing but internal mechanical failure.

I concur with what others suggest for WCD, to install several (weatherproof - 3' or so deep) external water hydrants around the property to meet code today and able to expand in the future - garage/barn etc.

WoodChuckDad · Aug 8, 2021

My reasons for not wanting the hose bibs on the house are that it will be difficult to rout in the house. It wasn’t designed with this in mind. I figure a 3/4 line is needed for a hose and routing one thru the back of the cabinets to exit into the courtyard out front will be a chore. I would rather bury a line around the house to the front of the courtyard for a hydrant. I have 5 places that I know I want to put a hydrant. As for hot water, I plan to put an on demand heater and line in front of the barn to wash down the tractor and wash down cars. I was never big on washing my truck but out here on these dirt roads, my car and truck are always dirty so 2-3 times a mont, giving it a quick wash is nice.

buckeyefarmer · Aug 9, 2021

Carl_NH said:
Hi Gyford.

I agree with you the 9" or 12" Frost Free "spigots" that go in the wall of a house are not the best- I have had 2 fail internally - not due to freezing but internal mechanical failure.

I concur with what others suggest for WCD, to install several (weatherproof - 3' or so deep) external water hydrants around the property to meet code today and able to expand in the future - garage/barn etc.

Guy at work showed me a picture of his that split open after the shutoff, so that when the water was turned on, it leaked in the wall. The cause was leaving a hose connected, that held the water inside and then froze. That’s why I disconnect my hose over the winter.

BigBlue1 · Aug 9, 2021

buckeyefarmer said:
Guy at work showed me a picture of his that split open after the shutoff, so that when the water was turned on, it leaked in the wall. The cause was leaving a hose connected, that held the water inside and then froze. That’s why I disconnect my hose over the winter.

They all tell you that is a must-do.

Carl_NH · Aug 11, 2021

WoodChuckDad said:
You run a second line from the house back to the well? Why would you not install the yard hydrant inline? In my case this is over 200 feet from the house. Trivial if done now during initial install, but why?

When you install the pump piping into the house, run another line out from the house tank to feed your outside hydrants in the same trench then branch off to the outdoor water hydrants.

Also put a shut off for the outside piping JIC you want to blow them out, or if you dig one up unexpectedly. Put a tracer wire or at least mark with tape above the pipe and record location on your plan when you install, so to find them in the future. Pictures are a good reference too.