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I have an open loop geothermal heat pump. It takes well water and using schedule 40 PVC, sends the water throughout the house to air handlers and then back out to an injection well.

The PVC carrying the well water is about 34 years old. It is under a constant low level vibration from the well pump.

Do I need to worry about the PVC bursting as it ages?

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  • Is any of the piping system exposed to sunlight?
    – Jimmy Fix-it
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 2:40
  • Yes, a part of the system near the well pump. However, I'm not worried about that part breaking. I'm worried about the PVC once it's running inside the walls of my house.
    – User7391
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 2:43
  • Once the pipe enters the ground, vibration from the pump will be pretty well damped.
    – FreeMan
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 11:02
  • It is less but remarkably I can still hear the vibration on floor from pipes on the opposite end of the house.
    – User7391
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 22:37

1 Answer 1

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The life span depends on the age of your pipes.

Those that were manufactured a few years back, ( more than 10 years) will last about 50 years.

Newer PVC technology gives a life expectancy of 100 years.

Of course this all depends on what conditions the pipes are subject too.

In the normal course of use the glue used to connect the pipes will fail before the pipes themselves. Still, 25 to 40 years is not unexpected.

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  • Does the OP's 34 year old pipe fall into the "few years back, 50 year life expectancy" range, or is that considered "newer PVC tech" and he can expect longer life? "A few years back" is rather vague...
    – FreeMan
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 0:04
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    Fixed that. Thanks for pointing that out.
    – RMDman
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 0:11
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    @RMDman isn't PVC glue more like welding? Where it dissolved the pipe and the fitting and they bond as if they are a single piece? Do PVC connections really deteriorate faster than the pipes?
    – Eli Iser
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 0:33
  • Thanks for the reply, @RMDman. Towards, Eli Iser's point, do you feel this other post is incorrect - it states the PVC glue welds and should last as long as the pipe: diy.stackexchange.com/questions/49211/…
    – User7391
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 0:43
  • THe glue does melt the pvc. However the perception that the 2 pieces become one and therefore stronger is a misconception. The reality is that often too much glue is applied and the joint becomes weaker. From a standpoint of degradation over time this often leads to failure at the joint.
    – RMDman
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 3:29

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