PumpHouse Construction

[Highlander]

Presently I am on well water and have a buried 1" PVC Sch 40 line running from my current pumphouse to the entry under my home. I would like to install a valve system between my pumphouse and the home which will allow me to select an additional water source to supply the house as well as to distribute the water to supply another structure other than the house. Two water input sources and two output lines, one to the house and one to another structure. I would like to have something like another small pumphouse above ground to house the valve setup and keep the whole thing from freezing in the winter. Here's my question: Should I run PVC vertically up from the frost line to the surface or should I use metal pipe out of the ground into the pumphouse structure. And should the valve system I want be constructed from steel pipe or PVC? Pumphouse will be heated and insulated. We see sub-zero temps many times throughout the winter.

 

[turnkey4099]

Presently I am on well water and have a buried 1" PVC Sch 40 line running from my current pumphouse to the entry under my home. I would like to install a valve system between my pumphouse and the home which will allow me to select an additional water source to supply the house as well as to distribute the water to supply another structure other than the house. Two water input sources and two output lines, one to the house and one to another structure. I would like to have something like another small pumphouse above ground to house the valve setup and keep the whole thing from freezing in the winter. Here's my question: Should I run PVC vertically up from the frost line to the surface or should I use metal pipe out of the ground into the pumphouse structure. And should the valve system I want be constructed from steel pipe or PVC? Pumphouse will be heated and insulated. We see sub-zero temps many times throughout the winter.

Just personal preference here. I have done a lot of water lining, standpipes, valves, etc over the past 20 years using PVC. Really like it for the ease of building/repair and cheap parts. That said tho, anything comming up out of the ground is Galv with the transition to PVC at the bury depth (use male PVC to female iron adapters!). For sure any valves will be metal, not plastic (I have had problems when I tried plastic valves). Also, any valve I use are 'quarter turns'.

Depending on the location of he proposed valve house: If it would be anywhere close to the house, run your pipes and put the valves in thehouse. Puts it in a very convenient location and does away with insluation/heating/construction problems.

Harry K

 

[montejw]

Here's my question: Should I run PVC vertically up from the frost line to the surface or should I use metal pipe out of the ground into the pumphouse structure. And should the valve system I want be constructed from steel pipe or PVC? Pumphouse will be heated and insulated. We see sub-zero temps many times throughout the winter.

I wouldn't go with metal. PVC will take longer to freeze if there's a problem. It's cheaper, and works as well as long as you support it correctly. If I was going to use metal, it would be copper and it would all be soldered, using the male pvc adapter into the copper female adapter as mentioned before. Threaded fittings (galvanized pipe) are more work if you don't do it a lot. Harder to fix a leak. PVC, just cut out the offensive part and glue in another.

Not sure about codes, but if it's inside a little building and supported well, pvc should work fine.

Monte

 

[kmdigital]

I wouldn't come up at all. Get Curb Stops like they use in the city for water to houses, where there is nothing but a small metal cover at grade that you can mow right over. These are nothing more than a ball valve that is installed at the same depth as the water line, and then a cast iron cylinder covers the valve and encloses a short rod comes part way up inside the cylinder that is reduced to 1" pipe. You use a key (simply a rod with a slot in the end of it) to turn the water on and off below ground. Never any worry about freezing, and you can make any valve arrangement you like, and you don't have to spend the money to make a pump house and heat/insulate it in the winter.

Here is a picture of what it looks like Ford Curb Boxes - Arch Base Extension Type Curb Boxes

They are available from any plumber or plumbing supply house.

 

[Kendall69]

If you go PVC go with schedule 80, it's not much more that schedule 40, but it's darn near bulletproof. Also us ethe heavy duty glue,

Forget PVC valves if your turning them on and off a lot the handles are the weakest link and will break, use good quality valves or you will be replacing them often _ I know I went the PVC valve route, and not I have to do it all over again 5 years later. Doesn't sound like a lot, but with 40 valves, it's a pain.

Welcome to Oatey

 

[flusher]

Presently I am on well water and have a buried 1" PVC Sch 40 line running from my current pumphouse to the entry under my home. I would like to install a valve system between my pumphouse and the home which will allow me to select an additional water source to supply the house as well as to distribute the water to supply another structure other than the house. Two water input sources and two output lines, one to the house and one to another structure. I would like to have something like another small pumphouse above ground to house the valve setup and keep the whole thing from freezing in the winter. Here's my question: Should I run PVC vertically up from the frost line to the surface or should I use metal pipe out of the ground into the pumphouse structure. And should the valve system I want be constructed from steel pipe or PVC? Pumphouse will be heated and insulated. We see sub-zero temps many times throughout the winter.

Don't see any problem with vertical PVC pipes. I would use 1" metal ball valves. PVC ball valves tend to stick.