I live in cold winter climate. I want to run water from inside the house to outside for watering in summer. I have black HDPE to a brass valve, then connecting to 3/4 PEX to service the house.

As per the picture, I want to tee in and run 1" cold water outside to connect to a watering system. The plumbing is in the wall safely insulated; I plan to include valves to drain the water from the pipes outside and leading out from the inside.
5821
(all the plumbing shown is inside; the pipe to outside runs perpendicular to the page)

I was going to use copper, but after reviewing some posts, was considering PVC instead. It is obviously WAY cheaper and easier to use.

My concerns are
- is PVC acceptable for plumbing behind walls (including valves
- is PVC acceptable for outside, exposed to the sun

Any other suggestions?

Thank you!

Pvc is not acceptable for water pressure lines exposed to air or sunlight. The only place I see them accepted is under a mobile home and that mainly is because the inspecter can not inspect it, a mobile home falls under D O T rule and they ain't watching. I prefer pvc for water service piping but I put mine inside a 2" sleeve underground. if there is no rocks and no root problem i will run 1" pvc underground by itself.

I'm with Doug -- Most plastic piping materials are less than ideal for sun exposure.

Exposure to ultraviolet rays will degrade PVC, CPVC and PEX tubing.

pvc is not acceptable for water pressure lines exposed to air or sunlight. the only place i see them accepted is under a mobile home and that mainly is because the inspecter can not inspect it, a mobile home falls under D O T rule and they ain't watching. i prefer pvc for water service piping but i put mine inside a 2" sleeve underground. if there is no rocks and no root problem i will run 1" pvc underground by itself.

Good, info, thanks!

For an outdoor partially-or-completely-buried sprinkler system, you should consider using PE tubing which is rated for that purpose.

For an outdoor partially-or-completely-buried sprinkler system, you should consider using PE tubing which is rated for that purpose.

Good point, I'm planning on flex pipe for the outside.

My concern at the moment is the transition from inside to outside. Even though it would be a conduit for heat loss, I am leaning toward copper for structural purposes: it can be bumped without cracking

Any thoughts?

"Heat loss"? Aren't we talking about cold water to begin with?

As for it not breaking, it's not so much the material you use as how you support it: instead of having a pipe just make a "jump" over open air into the ground, it should be securely strapped to the wall of the house or to a post the whole way down.

"Heat loss"? Aren't we talking about cold water to begin with?

As for it not breaking, it's not so much the material you use as how you support it: instead of having a pipe just make a "jump" over open air into the ground, it should be securely strapped to the wall of the house or to a post the whole way down.


Yes we are talking cold water; I was referring to having a metal pipe running from outside (freezing in winter) to inside. Ignore the comment if you like.

Oh, I see what you mean. Nah, I wouldn't worry about it too much - one small pipe is not going to make your home lose a whole lot if heat, I think.

My concern at the moment is the transition from inside to outside. Even though it would be a conduit for heat loss, I am leaning toward copper for structural purposes: it can be bumped without cracking

Any thoughts?


yes we are talking cold water; I was referring to having a metal pipe running from outside (freezing in winter) to inside. Ignore the comment if you like.

What climate are you doing this in? What area of the country?

what climate are you doing this in? what area of the country?

N.E. Wyoming: hot summers; cold, freezing, snowy winters.

For what its worth, the interior portion of the plumbing is within conditioned space. The outdoor part will come out perpendicular to the wall about 18" off the ground, make a turn down about 3-4" from the wall, then go down into the ground for the landscape watering. Obviously everything outside the house will have to be drained for the winter.

Obviously everything outside the house will have to be drained for the winter.
[you answered my next question]

So-o-o...

After all the exchanges, what do the veterans suggest?!

All copper?

CPVC inside, copper outside?

:confused:

CPVC inside, copper outside

Thank you!