Timeline for What are some methods for running water lines above ground?
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11 events
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| Nov 7, 2022 at 1:08 | comment | added | Ecnerwal | If the OP's statements about how often and how long it freezes for are correct, 6" of dirt on the pipe should be plenty to make it a non-issue. It's not really that "moving water doesn't freeze" it's a crude way of barely heating the pipe, which is fine if you water supply has plenty and doesn't cost anything, or not much, and can be a problem if your water supply is limited and/or expensive. The neighbors did this as their line was poorly buried (in -20°F climate), and if they didn't run enough it would freeze anyway. | |
| Nov 7, 2022 at 0:24 | comment | added | Gil | On the farm they had one of the cold water faucets running very slowly when it went below freezing with the thought that moving water does not freeze. Just thinking! | |
| Nov 6, 2022 at 23:10 | comment | added | George Anderson | Dang it! I missed that last sentence. Thanks! | |
| Nov 6, 2022 at 21:36 | comment | added | Ecnerwal | @GeorgeAnderson question states supplied by a water tower that is higher than the house location (how much higher, not stated.) | |
| Nov 6, 2022 at 21:10 | comment | added | George Anderson | ...continued: I assume you'll be on a well, so water usage probably isn't a major concern, so you could install an electrically operated valve connected to a thermostat that would open the valve (metered down to a slow flow of course) when the temps got near freezing. | |
| Nov 6, 2022 at 21:06 | comment | added | George Anderson | One potential "gotcha" that nobody mentioned is the vertical distance. PSI per foot of vertical water is .433333. So 300 ' vertical would mean about 130 PSI at the bottom, just to get ZERO pressure at the top. So to get decent pressure (say at least 40 PSI for domestic use) would mean having to supply it at the base at 170PSI. That's high. I won't say it can't be done, but you'll have to over-engineer this for good reliability. Also larger pipes are less frost prone than smaller pipes, but of course more expensive..,.yeah that's obvious and may not prevent frost. | |
| Nov 6, 2022 at 17:25 | history | edited | Ecnerwal | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Nov 6, 2022 at 17:18 | history | edited | Ecnerwal | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Nov 6, 2022 at 17:12 | history | edited | Ecnerwal | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Nov 6, 2022 at 17:05 | history | edited | Ecnerwal | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Nov 6, 2022 at 16:59 | history | answered | Ecnerwal | CC BY-SA 4.0 |