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

 

[Sponsor]

 

[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]

pipe

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.

 

[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.

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]

pvc

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]

Big Thanks

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]

pvc

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.