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dobiegirl · Mar 13, 2013, 07:07 AM

Can pex be used in a trench run outside the home or does it have to be installed indoors? My attic is very tiny and I don't want my ac duct work getting messed up. I want the pipe run in a trench around my home

massplumber2008 · Mar 13, 2013, 10:39 AM

Hi Dobiegirl

What kind of PEX tubing (viega, watts, zurn, etc.)? What size PEX tubing? What are you running through the PEX tubing (hot water, cold water, gas (God forbid), etc.)?

Is this going to be for a hose to a garden or to a greenhouse, or what... exactly what is the purpose of the PEX tubing... what does it connect to?

Do you have freezing temperatures in your area during any time of the year?

How far down do you propose to dig the trench... must be BELOW the freeze line for your area?

Finally, are you pulling a permit for this? Back to you...

Mark

ma0641 · Mar 13, 2013, 11:26 AM

"...around my home" Is this for irrigation?

mygirlsdad77 · Mar 13, 2013, 04:49 PM

Please answer the above questions so we can try to give accurate advice.

dobiegirl · Mar 14, 2013, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by massplumber2008

Hi Dobiegirl

What kind of PEX tubing (viega, watts, zurn, etc.)? What size PEX tubing? What are you running through the PEX tubing (hot water, cold water, gas (God forbid), etc.)?

Is this going to be for a hose to a garden or to a greenhouse, or what...exactly what is the purpose of the PEX tubing...what does it connect to??

Do you have freezing temperatures in your area during any time of the year?

How far down do you propose to dig the trench...must be BELOW the freeze line for your area?

Finally, are you pulling a permit for this? Back to you...

Mark

Hi Mark,
I had a slab leak and my floors are all terrazzo. Rather then jack hammering through my floors to repair broken hot water pipe I'm having my hole hose repiped. I don't want them going through my attic as its very tiny and don't want my duct work getting all messed up. After getting estimates from different plumbers , some want to use cvcp pipe and others want to use pex pipe. I don't know what kind, just that its grade A. I presume the plumber will be pulling the permit. I live in central fl so we don't have to many freezing temps. They'll be running hot and cold lines and I presume the trench will be at least a foot deep. I'm not sure what size pex pipe their planning on using to repipe the house. It's a 1963 home with copper plumbing so that's also why I want to have the whole house repiped

dobiegirl · Mar 14, 2013, 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by ma0641

"...around my home" Is this for irrigation?

No, having my 1963 house repiped due to a slab leak

mygirlsdad77 · Mar 14, 2013, 03:26 PM

Not sure about your local codes, but I have never heard of running individual fixture water feeds around the outside of the home. There has to be a better solution to this. May require doing some boxing in, or if pex is used, I really would opt for running the lines in the attic, just make up a contract that states any damage done to ductwork is the responsibility of the installing plumbing company. Pex Is pretty easy to run, and they should be able to do this without damage to anything even in the tightest of areas. This is one of the main great reasons for using pex. The less lines you have underground around your home, the better. I would keep all water lines inside the home if at all possible.

massplumber2008 · Mar 14, 2013, 05:52 PM

No plumber in his right mind would run hot water pipes outside the house and underground... no way! The hot water would cool so quickly that it would almost never get to any of your fixtures. I've seen a hot water pipe run over to a POOL HOUSE for temporary use during the summer to ONE SINK.. NEVER, EVER for a full house... just not smart!!

I'm not so sure that cold water is a good idea either. I'd consult with a local plumbing inspector if still unsure on this, and I would stick with running the pipes in the attic space!

No plumber with experience will damage anything and if they do, the repair is on them OK?

Glad to discuss more if you want, OK?

Mark

dobiegirl · Mar 15, 2013, 03:27 AM

Originally Posted by massplumber2008

No plumber in his right mind would run hot water pipes outside the house and underground....no way! The hot water would cool so quickly that it would almost never get to any of your fixtures. I've seen a hot water pipe run over to a POOL HOUSE for temporary use during the summer to ONE SINK..., NEVER, EVER for a full house...just not smart!!.

I'm not so sure that cold water is a good idea either. I'd consult with a local plumbing inspector if still unsure on this, and I would stick with running the pipes in the attic space!

No plumber with experience will damage anything and if they do, the repair is on them OK?

Glad to discuss more if you want, OK?

Mark

Hi Mark, I'm a little confused now, the original cooper lines in this house are run under the house, that's how I knew I had a broken pipe, the terrazzo floor in my bathroom got really hot and my electric bill jumped up. What's the difference between running cooper under the house or 3/4 in. Insulated pex pipe in a trench around the house? Sorry for all the questions, I'm a painter and don't know a thing about plumbing so have just been having my boyfriend talking with the plumbers. Tia

mygirlsdad77 · Mar 15, 2013, 04:51 PM

Water pipes run under the concrete take a direct route to the fixtures, and yes there is heat loss even then. Running them outside and around the home will be such a long distance, that the heat loss will be next to impossible to recover, not to mention that Im sure it is against code in your area, or should be. I agree that no plumber worth his salt would even suggest such a thing. It would take forever to get hot water, and you would be wasting water and electricity. This would be kind of like in floor hot water heat, but all you would be doing is losing heat to the ground outside.