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Tie-in Sprinkler System to Main Line
I am installing a sprinkler system in my yard in Colorado. I am about ready to tie it into the main line under the house and run it out the front and back of the house. Is there anything special I should do when going through the wall?? I'm thinking:
Dig down in the dirt 1 foot outside where I want it to come through. Drill a hole through the brick, feed copper pipe out. Fill area around pipe with silicone. Burry pipe. It will definately freeze in colorado in the winter, so I'm planning on having a shuttoff valve under the house and will drain it in the winter. Thanks Andy |
#2
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Tie-in Sprinkler System to Main Line
Andy,
There are two issues that I can think of. First you normally need a high pressure pump for the required pressure to drive the sprinkler system and second you should install a one-way valve to ensure the pump will not pump water that's sat in the yard lines back into your home supply lines. That's required by code in most places. J ashroyer wrote: I am installing a sprinkler system in my yard in Colorado. I am about ready to tie it into the main line under the house and run it out the front and back of the house. Is there anything special I should do when going through the wall?? I'm thinking: Dig down in the dirt 1 foot outside where I want it to come through. Drill a hole through the brick, feed copper pipe out. Fill area around pipe with silicone. Burry pipe. It will definately freeze in colorado in the winter, so I'm planning on having a shuttoff valve under the house and will drain it in the winter. Thanks Andy |
#3
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Tie-in Sprinkler System to Main Line
ashroyer wrote:
I am installing a sprinkler system in my yard in Colorado. I am about ready to tie it into the main line under the house and run it out the front and back of the house. Is there anything special I should do when going through the wall?? I'm thinking: Dig down in the dirt 1 foot outside where I want it to come through. Drill a hole through the brick, feed copper pipe out. Fill area around pipe with silicone. Burry pipe. It will definately freeze in colorado in the winter, so I'm planning on having a shuttoff valve under the house and will drain it in the winter. Thanks Andy You will need *some* kind of backflow preventer to protect the municipal supply. Maybe like: http://www.conbraco.com/products/bac....asp?section=D BUT.......the people to ask are the city or water utility. Ask *before* you make any connections. Jim |
#4
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Tie-in Sprinkler System to Main Line
ashroyer wrote:
It will definately freeze in colorado in the winter, so I'm planning on having a shuttoff valve under the house and will drain it in the winter. When I installed our lawn irrigation system, I installed the required backflow preventer. Something you might consider is how you will drain the system before hard freezing sets in. In my case, I installed a connection to my air compressor, using a ball valve. When it was time to drain the lines, I merely shut off the water and turned on the air briefly, while cycling the zones. Mark |
#5
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Tie-in Sprinkler System to Main Line
Joey wrote:
Andy, There are two issues that I can think of. First you normally need a high pressure pump for the required pressure to drive the sprinkler system and second you should install a one-way valve to ensure the pump will not pump water that's sat in the yard lines back into your home supply lines. That's required by code in most places. J ashroyer wrote: I am installing a sprinkler system in my yard in Colorado. I am about ready to tie it into the main line under the house and run it out the front and back of the house. Is there anything special I should do when going through the wall?? I'm thinking: Dig down in the dirt 1 foot outside where I want it to come through. Drill a hole through the brick, feed copper pipe out. Fill area around pipe with silicone. Burry pipe. It will definately freeze in colorado in the winter, so I'm planning on having a shuttoff valve under the house and will drain it in the winter. Thanks Andy A Pump? never heard of one. |
#6
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Tie-in Sprinkler System to Main Line
ashroyer wrote:
I am installing a sprinkler system in my yard in Colorado. I am about ready to tie it into the main line under the house and run it out the front and back of the house. Is there anything special I should do when going through the wall?? I'm thinking: Dig down in the dirt 1 foot outside where I want it to come through. Drill a hole through the brick, feed copper pipe out. Fill area around pipe with silicone. Burry pipe. It will definately freeze in colorado in the winter, so I'm planning on having a shuttoff valve under the house and will drain it in the winter. Thanks Andy Denver area here. Go to Home Depot or Lowes. They have the necessary anti-siphon valves. If using copper underground be sure to use the proper type for underground use. Flare fittings without solder connections. I recommend 1 inch PVC for the runs to the valve manifolds. Also include a drain valve at each manifold. My turn off valve is about 5 feet underground connected directly to the main water line. I didn't put it in and still wonder why they did not put the valve in the basement. Sometimes those valves get hard to turn on and off. They have to be turned on full or the drain valve will weep. The main turn off valve must be a gate or ball type so as not to lose pressure. They are also available in the sprinkler department of the stores. Vacuum breaker such as this is required: http://www.evergreensprinklers.com/s...r-p-16261.html I have two underground boxes for my valve manifolds. One in front and one in the backyard. Boxes of that type are available at Lowes and Home Depot. Don't bury the valves as they do need maintenance now and then. http://www.rainbird.com/landscape/pr...alves/uvms.htm I used the rainbird valves: http://www.rainbird.com/diy/products/valves/cp.htm http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...Sprinkler.html |
#7
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Tie-in Sprinkler System to Main Line
I assume you have a basement, since you are talking about breaching your
foundation below grade. If so, it is better to route your supply line outside above the foundation. Holes in foundations are rarely a good idea. First step is to check your water supply for both volume and pressure. If the pressure is too low you will have to put in a pump. You can improve the volume by using a larger supply line. If you have a basement, you probably have some sillcocks on the house where you hook up your hoses. A good solution would be to replace the line to that sillcock with a larger line, and route it through the original hole, then down to where you will bury your valve box. Around here we put a shutoff and a checkvalve inside (the checkvalve to prevent backflow, but check your codes as they may require an antisiphon valve instead). Then put a new sillcock on the line going down to the valve box; you'll need it occasionally. I know in areas where it never freezes, they use PVC underground. I've been told that poly is a better choice in areas where there is freezing, as it is more forgiving. Use more zones, rather than fewer, and since valves are fairly cheap, consider putting in a spare when you build your manifold. I don't like using an air compressor to blow out the lines, as it takes a rather large compressor and I don't have one, and I won't pay to have mine blown out when, with some foresight, you can put in drains when you are laying the pipe at very little expense, and let the system drain itself. A drain is a cute little device that closes when there is water pressure, but opens when there is no water pressure, so the line drains. Put at least one of these on each zone at the lowest point; I throw in a shovel of gravel to make a little drain field. My most valuable tip is to find an irrigation supply house and buy your stuff there, rather than at one of the big boxes, which are famous for stopping carrying a brand just after you buy it. At the irrigation supply house you will find a better grade of everything, compatibility between parts, and informed advice, and I don't think their prices are much, if any, higher than at the big box, and they always have everything you need. ashroyer wrote: I am installing a sprinkler system in my yard in Colorado. I am about ready to tie it into the main line under the house and run it out the front and back of the house. Is there anything special I should do when going through the wall?? I'm thinking: Dig down in the dirt 1 foot outside where I want it to come through. Drill a hole through the brick, feed copper pipe out. Fill area around pipe with silicone. Burry pipe. It will definately freeze in colorado in the winter, so I'm planning on having a shuttoff valve under the house and will drain it in the winter. Thanks Andy |
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