Looking at building an unheated barn in the spring and thinking about how to get water to it for the critters. Wife and daughter want horses and I have a 36' x 48' workshop, so it's time I get on it. Our well pipe is about a 1/3 of the way between the house and where the barn will be (replacing the white quonset at the top of the picture). I built the shop at the same time as the house and the water comes from the well, to the house, then to the shop. Problem with tying into that, is it's under my driveway. The edge of the driveway is right at the 90 degree corner in red. I do have an outside spigot on the shop (3/4" line) and a 2" PVC chase under that part of the driveway to run stuff in, but it's not deep enough to keep from freezing in the winter. What would you recommend for getting water to the barn?
Getting water to a barn
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Bondo
Well-known member
Ayuh,..... Is the pump, in the well,..??
If so, tee the line at the well, 'n run black poly to the barn, to a frost-proof hydrant,.....
If so, tee the line at the well, 'n run black poly to the barn, to a frost-proof hydrant,.....
larry4406
Well-known member
Also install a stop valve with drain port right at the tee. This is buried below frost. This will allow you to restore water service to the house ASAP after putting in the tee and closing the stop valve. This will let you trench, bury, etc the water line to the barn non-critical path. You will need a long handled wrench for this which comes as an accessory.
I did exactly this at my last house. The "valve box" was a length of 4" PVC pipe that I notched at the bottom so the water line would pass thru and the pipe concentric to the valve stem. I then used a flush clean out cap all cut to grade.
Yes it is. The pressure tank and control is in the house though. I'm trying to recall why they had me run the water for the shop from the house, instead of teeing off by the well. I thought it was because it needed to be after the pressure tank, but I might not be remembering correctly.
Stop valve near the tee, on the line running to the barn I presume? This works even though the pressure tank and control is in the house? I thought all services needed to be after the pressure tank?
larry4406
Well-known member
Yes.
I installed a ****** right at the well pitless adapter and barb on other side of the tee run and straight to house.
Branch of tee I put another ****** then the stop valve. Bleed port is downstream of stop valve. Then ran the line to the shop.
Does not need to come from the house downstream of the pressure tank. When pump is off, your expansion tank pushes water backwards thru the tee to your barn to satisfy barn demand.
When well pump is running, it serves all demands and recharges the expansion tank.
Depending on how your house is plumbed, you might be inadvertently back flushing a filter if filter is upstream of the pressure tank (not usual location).
Some yard hydrants are not considered sanitary due to the bleed port. If this concerns you install a one way spring check valve just upstream of the yard hydrant.
Use quality fittings and components. I like my Woodford “Iowa” yard hydrants and I used Zurn spring checks.
Awesome. This is very helpful. Kicking myself that I didn't put the damn thing in to start with, but this is a lot easier than having to run a line from the house or shop.
Bondo
Well-known member
Ayuh,...... It don't matter where the tank, 'n switch are,... it turns on when the pressure drops, from where ever in the system,.....
'n if the barn line is buried below frost, the valve at the wellhead is unnecessary, though could be handy to have,.....
larry4406
Well-known member
The valve at the well head for my shop I did as a convenience so I could restore water service to the house asap and then take my time running it to the shop.
Sportsman762
Well-known member
Not sure where you are in MN, Rochester will not have as much freeze issues as Baudette. Since your house is newer your well is most likely to code. Code calls for the underground discharge to be 6' down in mn if memory serves me right. It is best to have as few connections underground as that is where the line will fail almost every time. If it were me I would take it from the house out to the barn at a 6' depth. In the barn I would put a frost free hydrant. I would use poly 1" pipe going from the house to the garage. Use all stainless Ideal or Breeze hose clamps and double up on them. Brass barbs are the only way to go. I would spend the extra money and get a Woodford hydrant with a 5 or 6' bury depth, they are durable and digging up a frost free hydrant *****.
Larry is spot on here. You do not want to be digging down 5-7' to deal with a leak or crummy fitting.
www.woodfordmfg.com
You might want to consider putting in automatic waterers. If so you will need to run electric in the same trench to each waterer. Breaking ice every morning *****.
Larry is spot on here. You do not want to be digging down 5-7' to deal with a leak or crummy fitting.
Woodford Model Y34 & Y1 Freezeless Yard Hydrant
You might want to consider putting in automatic waterers. If so you will need to run electric in the same trench to each waterer. Breaking ice every morning *****.
I have always used a street 90 at the pitless adaptor to allow slight ground movement. I have dug up numerous wells because of drillers going straight into a well with the pipe, a Tee is not going to allow flex. The street 90 is an easy way to allow just a little flex. Also I hate any underground connections. The fewer the better.
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Great advice. Thanks for all the tips. I’m not sure what they used on the pitiless, but I doubt they did anything above and beyond the easiest for them. I do know they were well over 6’ down to the pitiless though. I guess ill find out when I dig it back up to make the connections. I’m in the twin cities.Not sure where you are in MN, Rochester will not have as much freeze issues as Baudette. Since your house is newer your well is most likely to code. Code calls for the underground discharge to be 6' down in mn if memory serves me right. It is best to have as few connections underground as that is where the line will fail almost every time. If it were me I would take it from the house out to the barn at a 6' depth. In the barn I would put a frost free hydrant. I would use poly 1" pipe going from the house to the garage. Use all stainless Ideal or Breeze hose clamps and double up on them. Brass barbs are the only way to go. I would spend the extra money and get a Woodford hydrant with a 5 or 6' bury depth, they are durable and digging up a frost free hydrant *****.
Larry is spot on here. You do not want to be digging down 5-7' to deal with a leak or crummy fitting.
Woodford Model Y34 & Y1 Freezeless Yard Hydrant
You might want to consider putting in automatic waterers. If so you will need to run electric in the same trench to each waterer. Breaking ice every morning *****.
I have always used a street 90 at the pitless adaptor to allow slight ground movement. I have dug up numerous wells because of drillers going straight into a well with the pipe, a Tee is not going to allow flex. The street 90 is an easy way to allow just a little flex. Also I hate any underground connections. The fewer the better.