Water service piping

[cedarglen]

What type of pipe would you use for the burried water service from the meter to the house?

Also in the house I think I heard that CPVC is legal in CA now didn't I? What do you guys think of CPVC? We are in a snow area and the cabin will be empty all winter. should I stick with copper? I asked the building department about PEX, they won't let me install it myself unless I get a PEX certification.

[JRR]

One approach might be to carefully measure what length service you need, and then buy the PEX hose complete with end-fittings from a certified supplier.  That way you are just buying a coil of hose that you carry home and install.  But check with city-hall to make sure this makes them happy.

[cedarglen]

Nope, they won't pass me on the inspection unless I show a PEX certification.

Chuck

[MikeT]

Wow.  They are really behind the times.  I think you can buy PEX supplies at Home Depot and Lowes. 

mt

[glenn kangiser]

I am a contractor and I am certified but that's still payola.

[Okie_Bob]

Sounds to me like another People's Republic of CA 'stick it to the diy'er' to me. If you can't use pex, I'd definatly go with CPVC. I've used standard pvc and cpvc and I found that pvc gives a strange taste to water after it sits for a long time (a few weeks). Don't find that samd strange taste in cpvc. Others say I'm just weird but, hey, that's just me. I can tell the difference.
Copper would be first choice if the cost wasn't a factor.
Okie Bob

[cedarglen]

What doyou guys think of CPVC in cold climates? It will be in the insulated wall cavities only, will it be OK?

[glenn kangiser]

The ground in our area eats the copper -- all that gold I guess, BoB.  I haven't said your weird though BoB, even though I'm

I have heard PEX resists freezing best -- not sure where CPVC fits in the freeze cycle.

[ScottA]

I've never had any problems with cpvc. It can get brittle if it gets real cold and will break if it freezes.

[MountainDon]

I believe you stated this is a snow country mountain cabin that will be empty all winter.

My understanding is that in most locales PVC is fine, but for cold lines only. CPVC can be used for hot or cold. Too bad you can't manage a way to use PEX; it's ideal.

A family member has a similar situation north of Winnipeg, Canada. The plumbing system has a point where air pressure can be introduced to the whole system. They pressurize with 80 lbs of air, then go around opening valves starting at the furthest point. Nothing has ever frozen to where there was damage. The system is old and has been expanded or changed a few times. There is a mix of copper, pvc and cpvc.

We have pretty much the same situation currently with our RV. I blow it clear and have never had a freeze problem.

[Okie_Bob]

Glenn, are you sure it's not the two legged insects that are eating the copper in your area? We've had several incidents where
those kind of insects have tried to eat too much copper and paid the ultimate price for failing to pay. They are now six feet under and not even fire ants go that low. But, have you heard about the new 'crazy rasberry ants'? Yep, I am not joking. They eat fire ants, love electricity and nothing sold over the counter kills them. They too arrived on cargo ships from the Caribean and are taking over Houston!

Pex would be my first choice, cpvc second and copper third. Pex had less chance of splitting with freezing, cpvc doesn't give off that bad taste. Copper is too expensive.
Love the idea of blowing the lines free of water before leaving the cabin for the winter. That is by far the best way to ensure no busted lines from a hard freeze. Down here, we sometimes pour anti-freeze in the toilets if we expect a really hard freeze while away for a few days.
This is one of the nice things about pier and beam foundation too. If a line busts, I can easily crawl under and fix it.
Okie Bob

[MountainDon]

Yes, I should have included the RV antifreeze in the drain traps as well.    I mean we use it in the RV, BIL uses it up north... I just didn't mention its use in the above post.

[glenn kangiser]

I hate those 2 legged ones -- good on whoever put them in the ground.

I just heard about the Texas ants a day or two ago, BoB. 

We have small ants in the sand at our other place who are fond of electric juice also.  They love to crawl in between the contacts of our pump pressure switch there to get a cheap thrill.  I think it's an ant version of alcohol abuse. 

"Hello guys, I'm Mortimer and I'm an electroholic."

[Okie_Bob]

An electroholic?? Glenn, I do believe you are nuts!
Can you just see this guy with a big old wire cutter getting ready to cut a high voltage power line in two?
Say your prayers Dude, it's fixin to be lights out!!! In more ways than one.
Honestly since scrap copper went to almost $4 a pound, there have been over a dozen thieves put away for good, just here in N Texas.
You now have to have a picture ID to sell used copper.
Okie Bob

[glenn kangiser]

Good for them cleaning up the gene pool then.   I'm all for that.

PS, it's crazy and eccentric, BoB.  I consider myself a special case.