pvc vs copper

[little buddy]

I am wanting to run a cold water line around my pool area and a hot and cold line to my gazeebo. I am having new concrete poured and would like to run these line under the concrete. Which would be best, pvc or copper? I will have the capability to drain these lines for the winter.

[Rancher]

Outdoors, PVC underground.

Rancher

[little buddy]

Thanks Rancher, as you can see I am new at this. Any suggestions or advise wil be greatly appreaciated. I have enjoyed looking at other peoples problems and the solutions.

[jimbo]

You should not use PVC for the hot water. Use CPVC instead.

[hj]

Under concrete I would not use PVC if possible. If it breaks, and I have a situation like that right now, you will be breaking the Kool-deck to repair it.

[little buddy]

Thanks Hj for your reply.I understand what you're saying about using pvc, however what would if a joint in the copper would start to leak? { I guess a leak would be better than a broken pvc pipe.Hhhhhhhh}

[jadnashua]

Use a roll of soft copper and you won't have any fittings underground, only at the ends.

[Gary Swart]

Is there any way you can avoid burying the line in concrete? Maybe a channel in the concrete for the pipe with a cover plate or around the side(s) of the slab? Water and drains that are covered with solid concrete eventually fail and then you have a real dilemma.

[Chris75]

IF it were mine i'd probably run a 3" pvc conduit then pull the water line thru that, this way I can always replace in the future...

[Gary Swart]

That would work even better than a channel!

[little buddy]

Thanks Chris for the reply, I had thought about this but was faced with the delima if I should ever have to replace the water line, what would I do where the water line 90's up through concrete to a faucet and also where the water line t's and runs to the gazebo. I guess I could always put an access cover at both locations.:confused:

[Chris75]

Thanks Chris for the reply, I had thought about this but was faced with the delima if I should ever have to replace the water line, what would I do where the water line 90's up through concrete to a faucet and also where the water line t's and runs to the gazebo. I guess I could always put an access cover at both locations.:confused:

Use pvc that comes in a roll.... and yes you could use a access location, or just not T the water line...

[Wet_Boots]

If you use sweep elbows on the conduit, then you could pull polyethylene tubing through it.

[Rancher]

This is a good idea, pull PE thru a 3" or 4" PVC thinwall sewer pipe (they stopped selling the 3" here, nobody bought it).

I personnally have never had a pvc pipe break underground, or a connection go bad.

Rancher

[hj]

I personnally have never had a pvc pipe break underground, or a connection go bad.

Neither have I, but I have fixed hundreds of them. Copper joints should not break. PVC joints don't either very often. The fittings crack.

[poorplmbr]

one word......PEX

[tjbaudio]

one word......PEX

+1, I would do PEX in PVC. No fitings under ground. home run every thing. Dont forget the proper slope to get it to drain.

[little buddy]

Thanks to all of you for all of your great ideas. I'm sure any one of them would work just fine. I think I'm going to go with pvc for the cold water line and cpvc for the hot. The way I look at it is, I'm 55 years old and it will look fine, last a long time. Then my kids can take care of it.:)

[hj]

Then my kids can take care of it.

And when they do, they are going to have some harsh words for their immediate ancestor.

[little buddy]

It'll give them something to laugh about.

[Jetpump]

I agree with the above in that pex/kitec through 4" pvc is your best option. Use a stop/manifold at your hot & cold supply and you, as well as your future inheritors will be covered in the unlikely event of a failure.

Be sure to have good access at the supply valves as well as an access point at your spout. The spout or outlet valve is your most likely point of failure in the future.

Pex/kitec is very durable stuff with a very good flow rate. It is rare to have a problem with it and it should last for years.