LEAKING COPPER WATER PIPE - NORTHERN KENTUCKY - DUNBARPLUMBING.COM

[nickt916]

I have to replace a water pipe from the road to the house that we are buying, I have about 200 feet to replace, is it better to use PVC all the way from the road to the house? Any advice?

[DUNBARPLUMBING]

@nickt916 That's all dictated by the area you live, ground you have and is the ground where you live, acidic.

Out in idaho, you cannot drop copper in the ground and run for a water service...ground has too high of an acid base, eats the pipe out.

If you use plastic water line, I will tell you that 90% of my calls for "broken water line underground" is almost always plastic.

You have to snake the pipe back and forth in the ditch (2 foot wide minimum) and plenty of slack, as that 200'

[DUNBARPLUMBING]

line will contract and expand a few inches, with variables that are going to be temperature rise and fall, any other conditions your area has.

Don't buy the cheapest pipe to put in the ground...you'll regret that when you have to dig twice. Take pictures and video when you do this...you'll thank yourself tenfold for doing so.

Get a triaxle of sand, clean sand to backfill the ditch, no fill dirt covering this pipe up. Minimum 6" all the way around the piping for compaction.

[vinceleto]

what do you think caused this?

[DUNBARPLUMBING]

@vinceleto Sorry for delayed response: I believe it was a defective copper pipe, from the manufacture. This is becoming more and more common as copper pipe was mass produced to keep up with the growing economy when this home was constructed.

No issues have cropped up since I've been there, which is good for the customer.

[JISINSANE]

I did not realize they still used cooper for new installations. I just had to replace all the feeder lines going to all 3 of my sinks. Only the cold water lines though. The hot water were still in great shape, But the cold water lines were shot. Pinholed all up when I installed new faucets.