Polyethylene or PVC for underground water line?


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Old 11-30-19, 04:59 AM
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Polyethylene or PVC for underground water line?

I have to run a water line from my main home to an in-law-apartment underground approximately 100 feet. Temperatures are in the 30s and I thought maybe it would be easier running 1" ridged PVC in my trench one length at a time than rolled 1" Polyethylene piping, worried about the rolled polyethylene pipe cracking or kinking working with it in cold weather. PVC I would have glued joints and with Polyethylene I'd have none, which piping would you suggest?
 
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Old 11-30-19, 05:35 AM
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CasualJoe voted this post useful.
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Old 11-30-19, 05:47 AM
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I’m not an expert or pro, but I used a roll of black poly from my house to the well head, however the distance was only 20 feet. If you heat up the black poly it is much easier to work with. I think if you were to put the coil in a tub of warm/hot water or near a heat source for a while, you would be able to put it in the trench and roll it out without problems.

I was able to roll it out without heating it up, but it was in fact a little difficult. The outdoor temp was in the 60’s (I think). You also have to make sure there are no sharp rocks or anything like that in the trench when you lay out the poly. But I assume (don’t know for sure) that the same precaution must be taken with PVC also.

I think the PVC will crack after a while the black poly won’t. Not sure, but maybe one of the pro’s will jump in.

Good luck!

(didn't see Mike's post)

I would also use the heaviest walled stuff possible - I did at the time .
 
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Old 11-30-19, 07:14 AM
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Every well, including the new one two years ago, had poly pipe!

But I can't say for certain if it was a different grade/wall thickness than what is used for sprinklers which is probably the most common material available!
 
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Old 11-30-19, 07:46 AM
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My vote would be Poly pipe.
 
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Old 11-30-19, 08:22 AM
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I'll try to keep the poly in the garage and warm enough to work with, I'll have to work fast once I get it outside. Second thought was if I can get the poly roll out along my trench what if I slid it through 4" corrugated pipe (10' lengths), that would help keep it straight and also protect it from any sharp rocks or stones laying against it in the ground, probably wouldn't hurt having a little extra protection right?
 
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Old 11-30-19, 01:07 PM
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I'd use what lawrosa (aka Mike) suggested, the 1" pex pipe, but question using 1". Most homes only have a 3/4" supply line from the street so why are you using 1"?
 
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Old 11-30-19, 01:32 PM
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My pump supply is 1"which goes through the pressure tank. whole house filters, water softener, carbon filters and through the basement where it then breaks down to 3/4 & 1/2 branches.

I would go as large as possible!
 
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Old 12-01-19, 05:10 AM
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I have 1" poly coming into the house from the well into my pressure tank and then into a 180 gal holding tank. I was going to tee off the outlet side of the holding tank, back out my block wall and over to the in law apartment.
I googled the internet on pex pipe and got different information, some say you can bury pex pipe underground and some say you can't, if pex is more flexible and better for a underground water line I can always return the poly.
 
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Old 12-02-19, 11:32 AM
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I would get some sch 30 pvc and use it as a sleeve for the pex. Pex can be used underground not above ground in UV light
 
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Old 12-02-19, 05:10 PM
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I used 3/4" pvc in 20' sticks, glued together, in a trench from my well house to my barn 30 years ago. Buried it deep with electric line below and no problems with either.
 
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Old 12-03-19, 05:05 PM
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I wouldn't use PVC in a freezing climate. There's too much ground movement and PVC is too brittle. Many plumbers won't even use it for sewer laterals (and use SDR instead, which is still plastic, but isn't cemented).

I would vote for black PE pipe. Make sure yours has the NSF logo on it (some non-NSF pipe is available for sprinkler systems and isn't certified for potable water). It's inexpensive, easy to roll into the trench, is pliable, and has been used for decades in the northeast for well pumps.

PEX is fine too, but typically more expensive.
 
 

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