On 5/26/2012 9:03 PM, Ook wrote:
On May 26, 6:33 pm, Ed wrote:
On Sat, 26 May 2012 17:33:12 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:



Are there problems caused by using plastic instead of metal? Copper
isn't cheap, but it's only a 25 foot run, and I might have a few
pieces left over from when I re-plumbed my house a few years ago. I
know how to work with copper, and probably have most of the pieces
parts already. Is there any particular grade of copper that should be
used for underground plumbing? The more I think about it, the more I
like the idea of replacing the run from meter to house with copper.

http://www.copper.org/publications/p...e_handbook.pdf
Underground Water Services—
Use Type M hard for straight lengths
joined with fittings, and Type L soft
where coils are more convenient.

Water Distribution Systems—
Use Type M for above and below ground.

Chilled Water Mains—Use Type
M for all sizes.

Drainage and Vent Systems—
Use Type DWV for above- and belowground
waste, soil and vent lines, roof
and building drains and sewers.

Well that is pretty straight forward - type M for above and below
ground. I have a couple of lengths of type M in my basement, maybe
enough to do this job. This leak is costing me $5 a day in water down
the toilet, and I'm highly motivated to stop the leak, even if it
means bypassing all the old pipe.

FIVE dollars a daY!?!?!?. THAT much water should be coming to the
surface. (in a raging torrent)

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On May 28, 2:12*pm, Steve Barker wrote:
On 5/26/2012 9:03 PM, Ook wrote:









On May 26, 6:33 pm, Ed *wrote:
On Sat, 26 May 2012 17:33:12 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

Are there problems caused by using plastic instead of metal? Copper
isn't *cheap, but it's only a 25 foot run, and I might have a few
pieces left over from when I re-plumbed my house a few years ago. I
know how to work with copper, and probably have most of the pieces
parts already. Is there any particular grade of copper that should be
used for underground plumbing? The more I think about it, the more I
like the idea of replacing the run from meter to house with copper.

http://www.copper.org/publications/p...e_handbook.pdf
Underground Water Services—
Use Type M hard for straight lengths
joined with fittings, and Type L soft
where coils are more convenient.

Water Distribution Systems—
Use Type M for above and below ground.

Chilled Water Mains—Use Type
M for all sizes.

Drainage and Vent Systems—
Use Type DWV for above- and belowground
waste, soil and vent lines, roof
and building drains and sewers.

Well that is pretty straight forward - type M for above and below
ground. I have a couple of lengths of type M in my basement, maybe
enough to do this job. This leak is costing me $5 a day in water down
the toilet, and I'm highly motivated to stop the leak, even if it
means bypassing all the old pipe.

FIVE dollars a daY!?!?!?. *THAT much water should be coming to the
surface. (in a raging torrent)

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

My consumption went from 8-10 to 48. Thousands of gallons. It rains
all the time and the soil is still mud. Also, the soil here drains
*very* well. That much water would just drain down to the water table,
which is only 10-15 feed down. When it rains enough my basement starts
to take on water, and a few years ago we got so much rain, the water
table rose high enough for my basement to be two feet deep in water. I
had just bought the house and didn't know the sump pump was
unplugged...but I digress....

My normal water bill is less than $100 a month. Last month it was
$250, $150 more than usual. Yeah, it's costing me about five bucks a
day. But I can't find ANY sign of a leak anywhere. But the water meter
spinner is always spinning, so the water is going somewhere. If I shut
off the valve, it stops spinning, so I know there is a
leak...somewhere. And I've shut off the only inlet into the house to
make sure nothing in the house is leaking. Somewhere outside the house
is a leak...somewhere....

I've dug up about 2/3 of my pipe. No leak. It has to be somewhere.
There is no obvious wet or soft spot anywhere. I have a 30' stretch
that goes under a concrete slab, and I'm afraid the leak is under the
slab.

I'm done killing myself digging up this friggin' pipe. tomorrow I
start cutting and capping. I'll start at the far end, cut and cap,
check the meter. I'll keep cutting and capping until I'm at the tee
from the main line if that is what it takes to stop this friggin'
leak. If I have to I'll scrap the entire outdoor pipe system and
replace the straight line from the meter to the house with all new
pipe that goes nowhere else. *That* is guaranteed to stop the leak :-)

On 5/28/2012 5:12 PM, Steve Barker wrote:


Well that is pretty straight forward - type M for above and below
ground. I have a couple of lengths of type M in my basement, maybe
enough to do this job. This leak is costing me $5 a day in water down
the toilet, and I'm highly motivated to stop the leak, even if it
means bypassing all the old pipe.

FIVE dollars a daY!?!?!?. THAT much water should be coming to the
surface. (in a raging torrent)

Depends on soil conditions. About 10 years ago we could hear a strong
water running sound all of the time. After some sleuthing it seemed like
it was outside. We have the usual indoor meter and the service line runs
out to a valve that is buried 3' deep at the curb. They term that
connection the "corporation" for some reason.

I borrowed a key from a friend and turned the valve off and the running
water noise stopped. I called the water company. When they dug out the
area around the valve they found that there was a crack in the tubing on
their side of the valve. The substantial water flow was simply draining
into the ground.