Hello all,

I have been searching on the Internet to find out if I can use PVC to replace my resting steel main water line. So far nothing definitive came out.

I live in San Jose California, so cold weather is not much of a factor.

My main goal is to get something that does not rust.

Thanks,

Deguza

On Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 1:13:36 AM UTC-4, Deguza wrote:
Hello all,

I have been searching on the Internet to find out if I can use PVC to replace my resting steel main water line. So far nothing definitive came out.

I live in San Jose California, so cold weather is not much of a factor.

My main goal is to get something that does not rust.

Thanks,

Deguza

Main water line where? In a basement in a home? Underground from the street?
A quick call to the plumbing inspector would give the correct answer. California
may have requirements specific to earth quake issues. For lines from the street
here in NJ they have been using poly for decades now. I would think that's an
excellent choice for CA underground too. It's tough and flexible. PVC is hard and
easier to crack with movement.

Deguza writes:
Hello all,

I have been searching on the Internet to find out if I can use PVC to replace my resting steel main water line. So far nothing definitive came out.

I live in San Jose California, so cold weather is not much of a factor.

San Jose has a nice office that you can all to find out the
answers to such questions. Or you can call valley water (or great oaks
in parts of south SJ) and ask them.

I'm aware of at least one home in SJ that replaced the
feeder from the main water valve to the house with 1" PVC
35 years ago.

My main goal is to get something that does not rust.

Are you talking externally or internally?

On Sat, 5 Jun 2021 22:13:32 -0700 (PDT), Deguza
wrote:

Hello all,

I have been searching on the Internet to find out if I can use PVC to replace my resting steel main water line. So far nothing definitive came out.

I live in San Jose California, so cold weather is not much of a factor.

My main goal is to get something that does not rust.

Thanks,

Deguza

I agree with Trader. They make a blue (PEX?) line just for that in
3/4" or 1". It is tough, flexible and seamless.Those are good
attributes for something you never want to see again.
PVC is popular here but the ground doesn't move around a lot. They
still use the PEX on new water services.

On Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 4:33:04 AM UTC-7, trader_4 wrote:
On Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 1:13:36 AM UTC-4, Deguza wrote:
Hello all,

I have been searching on the Internet to find out if I can use PVC to replace my resting Steel main water line. So far nothing definitive came out.

I live in San Jose California, so cold weather is not much of a factor.

My main goal is to get something that does not rust.

Thanks,

Deguza
Main water line where? In a basement in a home? Underground from the street?
A quick call to the plumbing inspector would give the correct answer. California
may have requirements specific to earth quake issues. For lines from the street
here in NJ they have been using poly for decades now. I would think that's an
excellent choice for CA underground too. It's tough and flexible. PVC is hard and
easier to crack with movement.

The current galvanized steel pipe is underground from the street to the external wall of the house. Then it goes into the crawlspace.

On Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 7:41:27 AM UTC-7, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Deguza writes:
Hello all,

I have been searching on the Internet to find out if I can use PVC to replace my resting steel main water line. So far nothing definitive came out.

I live in San Jose California, so cold weather is not much of a factor.
San Jose has a nice office that you can all to find out the
answers to such questions. Or you can call valley water (or great oaks
in parts of south SJ) and ask them.

I'm aware of at least one home in SJ that replaced the
feeder from the main water valve to the house with 1" PVC
35 years ago.
My main goal is to get something that does not rust.
Are you talking externally or internally?

Thanks for the suggestions. Since I wrote my initial question, I found a PDF document from the San Jose city permitting department. It explains things a little.

I also dropped them an email with some questions if PEX can be used, since they say that I should use the same material throughout the piping. If I would use PEX, it needs to couple to steel pipe going into the crawlspace.

Valley Water seems like the water source management agency, however, I will contact San Jose Water. the water distribution company, as well.

On Monday, June 7, 2021 at 6:46:41 AM UTC-7, gfre wrote:
On Sat, 5 Jun 2021 22:13:32 -0700 (PDT), Deguza
wrote:
Hello all,

I have been searching on the Internet to find out if I can use PVC to replace my resting steel main water line. So far nothing definitive came out.

I live in San Jose California, so cold weather is not much of a factor.

My main goal is to get something that does not rust.

Thanks,

Deguza
I agree with Trader. They make a blue (PEX?) line just for that in
3/4" or 1". It is tough, flexible and seamless.Those are good
attributes for something you never want to see again.
PVC is popular here but the ground doesn't move around a lot. They
still use the PEX on new water services.

I found out that there are different grades of PEX. The way it seems PEX - a is the one that I need to use.

Uponor (formerly called Wirsbo) brand is getting good reviews. HD (Home Depot) seems to be carrying it, however, HD seems to be pushing a different brand. Some people said in their reviews that they did not like the different brand.

On Monday, June 7, 2021 at 1:57:14 PM UTC-7, Deguza wrote:

One more question folks:

What is the best practice (I will also ask the city if I can get hold of them!):

Do I change the line all the way to the water company junction, or can I do a partial replacement? There is a portion of the line that is under the sidewalk. I am trying to avoid breaking the sidewalk concrete and start from the edge of it.

Thanks,

Al

On Mon, 7 Jun 2021 16:33:58 -0700 (PDT), Deguza
wrote:

On Monday, June 7, 2021 at 1:57:14 PM UTC-7, Deguza wrote:

One more question folks:

What is the best practice (I will also ask the city if I can get hold of them!):

Do I change the line all the way to the water company junction, or can I do a partial replacement? There is a portion of the line that is under the sidewalk. I am trying to avoid breaking the sidewalk concrete and start from the edge of it.

Thanks,

Al

If you dig down on both sides you can probably "jet" the pipe under
the sidewalk. I shot a 2" pipe 22 feet under my garage.
Ymmv depending on your soil.
Under a sidewalk should be trivial unless this is bank run gravel.
(more rock than dirt)

On 6/7/2021 3:46 PM, Deguza wrote:
On Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 4:33:04 AM UTC-7, trader_4 wrote:
On Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 1:13:36 AM UTC-4, Deguza wrote:
Hello all,

I have been searching on the Internet to find out if I can use PVC to replace my resting Steel main water line. So far nothing definitive came out.

I live in San Jose California, so cold weather is not much of a factor.

My main goal is to get something that does not rust.

Thanks,

Deguza
Main water line where? In a basement in a home? Underground from the street?
A quick call to the plumbing inspector would give the correct answer. California
may have requirements specific to earth quake issues. For lines from the street
here in NJ they have been using poly for decades now. I would think that's an
excellent choice for CA underground too. It's tough and flexible. PVC is hard and
easier to crack with movement.

The current galvanized steel pipe is underground from the street to the external wall of the house. Then it goes into the crawlspace.


We've got a couple hundred feet of PVC running from the meter up at
the road to the house in addition to the entire house being plumbed with
PVC . The only time we had a problem was when a gravel truck ran over
the meter box . It was pushed down putting a strain on the line right at
the meter and the NPT to PVC adapter cracked a couple of years later .
--
Snag
Race only matters to racists ...