Bad piping + history of breaks + 140psi in your house = bad. (UPDATE wit pics!)

[Red Squirrel]

It takes skill to solder properly. I'd say the PEX is popular because it's quick and versatile.

Yeah for sure. I personally don't trust myself with copper pipe. I'm sure I'd probably be ok, but pex is just so much easier I have no reason not to use it. If you are VERY lazy you can even use the shark bites, though I personally feel safer using anything that is crimped. Aparantly shark bites can even be used on copper, so it makes for a very easy copper to pex conversion, but I have trouble trusting that.

As for the pressure, have you thought of installing a pressure regulator? Try to get it down maybe a bit under 100.

 

[iGas]

140PSI is high and will cause valve and fittings to fail over time due to aging, vibration, and water hammer, hence it is plumbing code that copper pipe must be silver brazed instead of solder for under ground usage. New construction tend to employ PEX for single dwelling residential, multi home, commercial, and industrial still have to use copper as indicated by the plumbing code.

Certain area in Vancouver must have PRV (pressure reducing valve) at the property border by the water meter, and some may require backflow valves as well (new construction and retrofit).

 

[Locut0s]

The only fact I know about the pipes they used for the underground stuff is that it's Schedule 40 pipe. No idea is this in and of itself is bad. Sounds like they did a REALLY crappy job of joining the pipe or something.

 

[iGas]

The only fact I know about the pipes they used for the underground stuff is that it's Schedule 40 pipe. No idea is this in and of itself is bad. Sounds like they did a REALLY crappy job of joining the pipe or something.

It is possible that you have schedule 40 pipe if the house is really old, because prior to the plumbing code it was common to use sch 40 iron pipe. You would have notice that there are yellow stain/streaks at the faucets in the house, if it is iron pipe.

Another explanatory for sch 40 is PVC piping that is use for lawn irrigation and it failed due to poor glue joint (weren't clean properly and/or primer weren't use). $6K for irrigation piping repair is a ripoff if indeed that is the problem.

I'll do it for $2000, and I'll drive over on Saturday morning from Victoria to repair it for your family (you will have your water back by the same afternoon). And, I'm licensed.

PS. If drag your lazy ass out and be my digger bitch and learn something, and I'll take $1500 instead of $2000.

 

[Locut0s]

It is possible that you have schedule 40 pipe if the house is really old, because prior to the plumbing code it was common to use sch 40 iron pipe. You would have notice that there are yellow stain/streaks at the faucets in the house, if it is iron pipe.

Another explanatory for sch 40 is PVC piping that is use for lawn irrigation and it failed due to poor glue joint (weren't clean properly and/or primer weren't use). $6K for irrigation piping repair is a ripoff if indeed that is the problem.

I'll do it for $2000, and I'll drive over on Saturday morning from Victoria to repair it for your family (you will have your water back by the same afternoon). And, I'm licensed.

PS. If drag your lazy ass out and be my digger bitch and learn something, and I'll take $1500 instead of $2000.

Haha lol. Thanks for the offer. Not my decision though, they have already decided. These pipes aren't for lawn irrigation, they are the main pipes connecting the units to city water. Also there is a SHIT load of digging to be done here, looks like the pipe may be 10 feet down in some places and there are lots of bushes to remove to get to it. May also need to break some of the concrete to get to it. We are going to be replacing a section of pipe at least 30 feet long as well. Might want to rethink your $2000.

 

[iGas]

Haha lol. Thanks for the offer. Not my decision though, they have already decided. These pipes aren't for lawn irrigation, they are the main pipes connecting the units to city water. Also there is a SHIT load of digging to be done here, looks like the pipe may be 10 feet down in some places and there are lots of bushes to remove to get to it. May also need to break some of the concrete to get to it. We are going to be replacing a section of pipe at least 30 feet long as well. Might want to rethink your $2000.

I mean irrigation piping. I'll still do it even if it the water supply line, if you guys pay for parts and rental fees.

It is possible that the water pipe is 10 feet down. But who the hell in their right mind would dig down that deep to repair the pipe.

The logical thing to do is to dig down 24" as code requirement for frost level then drop in a new pipe and reconnect it to the portion that enter the house, or drill a new hole through the wall and connect the new inside the house. The other side would be connect to the city and it is likely that the connection is no more than 24" under the ground.

Did you dad call 3 or more plumbing outfits and price it?

Or, you guys just bend over and take it with out pricing it first?

 

[Locut0s]

UPDATE. Ok they have FINALLY finished the work that was started about 2 weeks back. They hit a snag when they hit some really large boulders while digging. We brought in a guy we knew personally to break these up instead of have the plumbers charge us. Here's a diagram of how it looks and some pics:

We talked about just redoing all the pipe instead of fixing this break. That WOULD be the better long term solution but the members of the complex didn't want to do that in the end.

 

[Locut0s]

Oh and it wasn't $6000 I think it's closer to $4000.

 

[Ns1]

why do you say "we" when it's a complex you live in?

 

[Locut0s]

why do you say "we" when it's a complex you live in?

Cause it's my parents place, not mine.

 

[Ns1]

Cause it's my parents place, not mine.

so do your parents live in a complex, which they own, or do you live in a house, which they own, which you call a complex?

basically i can't figure out how you're on the hook for these costs

 

[Locut0s]

so do your parents live in a complex, which they own, or do you live in a house, which they own, which you call a complex?

basically i can't figure out how you're on the hook for these costs

Oh, no I'm not on the line for any of the costs personally. In fact this is all going to come out of the complex contingency fund so even my parents aren't on the line for anything. Though they may raise the monthly fee to put more money back into the fund.

I would have thought you would know by name that 1/2 my posts are Locut0s.blog.anandtech.

 

[Dedpuhl]

All cities use gravity to pressurize the water system. Even if you are at the same level as the reservoir the pressure is still high enough due to the sizing of the pipes, large pipe flows out , downhill from reservoir and into smaller pipes will create enough pressure to go uphill. The reason cities don't use pumps only is because in power outage or disaster the city would lose all water pressure and things like fires could spread with no water to put them out.


The only time pumps are used is for lifting water to something like homes on a mountain, and even then it is lifted to a storage tank that then flows down to the homes.

This depends on where you live. Most of my clients use high pressure transfer pumps to feed the distribution system. In the event of a power outage, they use backup generators.

The typical operating pressures we see around here range from 50-80 PSI. 140 PSI seems excessive for an average operating condition. The distribution pipes, as long as the pressure class standards are similar, can handle it. The Bell/MJ restraints can take the stress. I'm sure they wear out valves on a regular basis. It seems like it would be a pain for property owners that have to try to regulate the incoming pressures off the service connections...

 

[CLite]

Even if you are at the same level as the reservoir the pressure is still high enough due to the sizing of the pipes, large pipe flows out , downhill from reservoir and into smaller pipes will create enough pressure to go uphill.

Yeah...........that would not work. You'd have to pump the water to get pressure at a source higher than the water reservoir.

Just imagine a U-tube where one side has 10 times the cross-sectional area of the other side. If you fill it with water it will be perfectly balanced on both sides.

 

[grohl]

I am no plumber....but...can you REALLY expect to get anything out of listening to a concrete slab with a stethoscope? LOL

 

[Locut0s]

I am no plumber....but...can you REALLY expect to get anything out of listening to a concrete slab with a stethoscope? LOL

Don't see why not. Solids like concrete conduct sound very well. If there was a good leak on the other side of the wall I don't see why you couldn't use that to hear it.