water pipe in ditch, how much straw freeze protection

[kenmac]

you would have to know what the frost like is in your area to know if your line is protected, or not.
My water line is about 400 ft long. some sections are only 2 ft deep. Frost line here is only about 1 ft.

I have shut off valves every 50 ft.from the water meter to the house

 

[Tractor Seabee]

If the straw gets wet forget it, it no longer has insulating value. When it turns to a lock of Ice the water line will be part of the block.

Ron

 

[Streetcar]

+1 for Seabee advice .
Cover straw with plastic

 

[oosik]

As LD1 says - too many variables. Best advice - as Kentuckyfarmer says - plenty of straw in the ditch, plywood to cover the ditch, straw on top of plywood. Cross fingers......

No matter the conditions - this is about the best you can do with info given here.

 

[coffeeman]

As LD1 says - too many variables. Best advice - as Kentuckyfarmer says - plenty of straw in the ditch, plywood to cover the ditch, straw on top of plywood. Cross fingers......

No matter the conditions - this is about the best you can do with info given here.

Happy New Year everyone. As of today have 5 bales straw on line. The line was capped because it's not finished. Have some layers of cardboard between straw.
Get this, we put an old down comforter above the water line. lined with plastic. plywood across top. bu not big enough to seal good. Last, the whole shebang covered with a tarp with dirt sealing edges. Now I have 3 inches of snow sealing the pit. I'm in Pa and it's been going low , 3 degree. Cold all week comping up. Line live because it's a T from main line. All that's left is waiting till thaw.

Question? My water meter is housed underground in meter pit. only about 1 foot from surface. Small steel cover & only heat from earth. Never froze in 30 years.
my line is as deep or deeper than meter pit. Ya can't be certain, but I think I'll be ok.

After thinking over, I wonder why I didn't wrap with a heat tape around the pipe. Waterproof the extension connection and problem solved.
Still cover it with straw etc. Guaranteed not to freeze?

Shoulda, Coulda but didn't....Coffeeman

 

[PILOON]

Frost here is 4 ft.
Have one line that is a mere 12" deep but inside of 4" black irrigation pipe and 2" blue foam board covers that with 6" of sand on top.
Another also in 4" irrigation but well wrapped with bubble foam but with heat tracing wire taped to the line.
This one sits on top of a rock cliff and merely snow covered.
Both have endured 12 years without problems.
Straw works well but must be kept dry.
Lots of snow is also a good insulation.
\Old timers in the area would merely cover a waterline with 12" boards, never walk on the snow and always let the faucet run slightly all winter. Works!
Running water will not freeze!

All being said, heated 'tracing wire' installed inside a waterline is the better solution. Today there are a variety of tracing lines available with some that are self regulating in that only the cold sections will make heat.
Not cheap to purchase but cheaper than excavating and dynamite in many cases.
The 'tracing lines' usually draw 6 or 8 watts per foot but that is only for the 'cold feet' and not the entire length installed.

While I said frost depth is 4 ft I have seen some winters where the earth was unfrozen as we had so much snow coverage.
Other times (like under a road) pipes have frozen down to 9-10 ft deep.

 

[coffeeman]

Happy New Year everyone. As of today have 5 bales straw on line. The line was capped because it's not finished. Have some layers of cardboard between straw.
Get this, we put an old down comforter above the water line. lined with plastic. plywood across top. bu not big enough to seal good. Last, the whole shebang covered with a tarp with dirt sealing edges. Now I have 3 inches of snow sealing the pit. I'm in Pa and it's been going low , 3 degree. Cold all week comping up. Line live because it's a T from main line. All that's left is waiting till thaw.

Question? My water meter is housed underground in meter pit. only about 1 foot from surface. Small steel cover & only heat from earth. Never froze in 30 years.
my line is as deep or deeper than meter pit. Ya can't be certain, but I think I'll be ok.

After thinking over, I wonder why I didn't wrap with a heat tape around the pipe. Waterproof the extension connection and problem solved.
Still cover it with straw etc. Guaranteed not to freeze?

Shoulda, Coulda but didn't....Coffeeman

Happy new year all. It's been 6 days since cold spell. Probably longest cold spell here in S East Pa for years. Gonna be
0 degree tonite. The suspense is getting to me. Is the pipe frozen? Looking for a little Global Warming here.

Everything here in my world is good. All are healthy here. I'm 6 1/2 years from liver transplant and feel good. Wife, kids and grand kids
all healthy. 2018 starting great. Broken water pipe less than small stuff.

Best For All, Happy and Healthy New Year....... Coffeeman