Replace lead pipes with MDPE

typeractive

Hi all,

I'm after a spot of advice. I'm looking to replace my lead pipe supply with MDPE piping. I've had a water sample taken and the water board have agreed to connect me up in the back street for free due to the amount of lead in the water. I need to replace the pipework on my side. I had a guy out today from water board to give me advice, though as it was peeing it down I didn't realise I forgot to ask him about the pipe entering the house - well the trench I'd need to dig. I was wondering if anyone could help?

Basically, I need dig a trench to a min of 750mm deep in my back yard - not a problem (just some hard graft lol), but, when the pipe goes through the wall (from my yard) into my property (the garage) will I need to dig down to the same depth? Or can I raise the pipe slowly to the surface within my house?

Perhaps making it easier to explain I have made a basic cross section diagram. It seems a bit mad to dig up my internal floor to the same depth? I can and will do it if necessary - just trying to save some work really.



If that doesn't really make much sense I will try my best to further explain. The only other option is to call the waterboard again, though the guy seemed to be puzzled why he was there in the first place e.g. it's common sense! He was nice enough, but not as reassuring as I would have hoped. I will have to pay for another visit and it's difficult to get the time off work! grrr. The simplest of things! :S

Thanks very much!

1984ReturnsForReal_2

I would of thought the angle wouldn't be an option. 750 is 750...

I can check in a bit.

typeractive

Thanks - I guess if it comes to it then it's a safe bet to make 2 holes at 750mm deep. The pipe has to rise at some point though - does this necessarily need to be straight? hmmm

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Its a minimum of 750 as it enters the house.

ormus

are you laying the pipe too? and they are just doing the final connection?
if so i would be tempted to do as you say, no one will ever know.

typeractive

ormus wrote: »

are you laying the pipe too? and they are just doing the final connection?
if so i would be tempted to do as you say, no one will ever know.

Yeah, though they have a technician that will come and inspect the trench before I am allowed to fill it all back in. The thing is though the end that enters my house (internals) needs to have a stop !!!! on. So this section could be backfilled, and the pipe could be secured to the wall. So it's a bit of a rubbish dilemma.

The worts thing is - I only need a really small trench lenght ways. Perhaps 3 ftt? It's deepr than it is long!

1984ReturnsForReal_2

ormus wrote: »

are you laying the pipe too? and they are just doing the final connection?
if so i would be tempted to do as you say, no one will ever know.

Unless it freezes............

typeractive

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Its a minimum of 750 as it enters the house.

Thanks. Just to clarify, how did you source that? (without sounding rude to ya ) As it enters that house that means outsides, when it's coming into the brick work? Then I could have the connecting hole on a slight angle...though I guess in the grand scheme of things it won't make much difference. Looks like I'm just gonna have to dig for longer! lol

plumb1_2

It also needs to be placed in a pipe duct and lagged(armaflex) as it enters the house.A slight increase in height is ok.
When laying the pipe in your trench, you can backfill a little to hold the pipe down, every couple of meters, use soft soil or sand.

ormus

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Unless it freezes............

yes i did think about that fact, but the chances of it freezing in urban england at that depth is very small indeed.
id take the risk.

maybe in the far north of scotland or the pennines on an exposed site, id take a different line.

typeractive

plumb1 wrote: »

It also needs to be placed in a pipe duct and lagged(armaflex) as it enters the house.A slight increase in height is ok.
When laying the pipe in your trench, you can backfill a little to hold the pipe down, every couple of meters, use soft soil or sand.

Cheers. I'm planning on lagging the pipe with insultation from point of entry to the house to where it rises. I was also going to protect the pipe through the wall with another pipe (so if you can imagine the insulated mdpe pipe inside another plastic pipe to protect it). I was advised to fill the outer hole where the pipe enters with some expanding foam on both ends - this would help prevent water coming through if the pipe was to burst.

So I would require:

MDPE blue pipe 25mm
Some insulation (I'll look for this armaflex stuff)
Another pipe to house the pipe for protection - I'm guessing 30mm minimum.Any particular type I should go for?
Some expanding foam.
A stop !!!! for the end of the pipe - I need one that will allow it to also connect to my house pipes internally.
Some brackets to fasten the rising pipe to the wall? Could anyone advise on some decent ones?

Is there anything else anyone could recommend?

I only need approx 4m worth of mdpe pipe - 10 at the very mx to be overly safe / allow for any errors. The smallest reels I can find are 25m!!! It's ridiculous!

Cheers