Heat and bend schedule 40?

[40cpe]

I have a 3/4" schedule 40 water pipe that was installed crooked when the slab was poured. It is off about 1 1/2" from plumb in a 2 foot span. I need to straighten it up to fasten it to the wall. It will bend enough to do it, but it will be in a constant strain. Is it possible to relieve the water pressure and gently heat the pipe with a heat gun to soften and bend it enough to relieve the strain? Or am I asking for trouble and should just leave it alone?

This is just a faucet riser on the inside of a metal building and will not be enclosed in a wall.

 

[porschedude996TT]

Yes you can. Don't localize the heat too much and don't distort the pipe. Nice gentle bend over 3-4 inches.

 

[MrMark]

You can bend it easy enough with a heat gun but I would worry about it compromising the pipe some. Elect. conduit is bent all the time but it doesn't have to carry water pressure. I think the bigger question is why do you have schedule 40 PVC for potable water. It is definitely not allowed for hot water and my understanding is that it isn't allowed in the house for cold either.

 

[metaleltr]

I'm thinking this may be schedule 40 metal pipe, based on the description.

 

[MrMark]

I'm thinking this may be schedule 40 metal pipe, based on the description.

well, then no, you can't bend it with a heat gun.

 

[porschedude996TT]

I'm thinking this may be schedule 40 metal pipe, based on the description.

Yes it does, but then he says heat gun. OP which is it, metal or plastics?

 

[indyokie]

For what it is worth, Sch 40 PVC get heated in metal tubes bent and then cooled in shape between jets in whirlpools.

 

[porschedude996TT]

Ya, but one needs a rosebud trip on an ox/acetylene touch.

 

[40cpe]

This is PVC schedule 40. It is not in a house, it is an outside faucet on the inside wall of a metal building. It is a water supply for a wash bay in my shop.

 

[MrMark]

This is PVC schedule 40. It is not in a house, it is an outside faucet on the inside wall of a metal building. It is a water supply for a wash bay in my shop.

Hot water will eventually destroy it, just so you know that. I can't tell if this is a hose bib or a faucet. Sounds like a hose bib but you are calling it a faucet.

If it is exposed so you can watch it go ahead and heat it evenly and just enough to bend it with a heat gun. You don't need sand. That would be a mistake on something like this.

 

[DIC]

I don't think 1-1/2" over a 2' span on 3/4 pvc is much strain.. I wouldn't worry about it, just square it up and mount it

 

[40cpe]

Hot water will eventually destroy it, just so you know that. I can't tell if this is a hose bib or a faucet. Sounds like a hose bib but you are calling it a faucet.

If it is exposed so you can watch it go ahead and heat it evenly and just enough to bend it with a heat gun. You don't need sand. That would be a mistake on something like this.

Faucet/hose bib; different terminology. No hot water will be in it. Here is a picture. It doesn't look like much tilt, but it takes a pretty good pull to straighten it.

 

[jay8s]

This Old House just did something like this last week. They heated it up and then bent the pipe. I would heat it above the splice and give it a tug as you heat. Don't concentrate the heat.

 

[KenC]

Yep, you can heat and bend. But, you must drain the water down to a level below the heating area or you won't be able to get it hot enough, at least not quickly/easily.

 

[wssix99]

There can never be a bad excuse to buy a new tool:
http://www.hotbend.com/

This Old House just did something like this last week. They heated it up and then bent the pipe. I would heat it above the splice and give it a tug as you heat. Don't concentrate the heat.

Yea, it was something like this: http://www.ezbend.com/

 

[40cpe]

Thanks for the replies. I can drain it down pretty easily.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

As Duckface said, the only correct way to do it is to pack it with sand to prevent it from collapsing. You need to cook your sand to 400* in a tin pan in your oven then use a funnel and dump the hot sand in your pipe and bend. If it won't bend after a minute or two then gently heat the exterior with a heat gun. Rinse/blow-out with water and it is done.

 

[May Pop]

I have done this hundreds of times with gray electrical PVC conduit. A heat gun will do a terrific job. Play it over the empty pipe. After it gets hot it will get soft. Straighten up and cool it off with a wet rag. Done in 10 minutes. A propane torch will work in a pinch but it does burn the outside of the pipe. If you would like to test this first set your oven at the lowest temp it will go. Like 175-200 degrees. Put a 12-18" piece in there. after a couple minutes it will get soft enough to bend. Get the shape you want and cool with a wet rag and it will get hard.

Ron

 

[where2]

I have done this hundreds of times with gray electrical PVC conduit. A heat gun will do a terrific job. Play it over the empty pipe. After it gets hot it will get soft. Straighten up and cool it off with a wet rag. Done in 10 minutes. A propane torch will work in a pinch but it does burn the outside of the pipe. If you would like to test this first set your oven at the lowest temp it will go. Like 175-200 degrees. Put a 12-18" piece in there. after a couple minutes it will get soft enough to bend. Get the shape you want and cool with a wet rag and it will get hard.

^^^^^ Exactly. I've bent plenty since learning how to do this with my heat gun... Bent all the schedule 40 bows for the PVC framework that holds up my boat cover. Bent some PVC plumbing that lives under the dock... Just keep the heat gun moving over a 12"-16" long area. You'll easily be able to make your S curve.

 

[Stuart in MN]

It will take about two minutes with a heat gun to straighten that out. Piece of cake.

 

[40cpe]

Yep! It's done, worked fine with just a heat gun.

Thanks again to all.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I can't tell if this is a hose bib or a faucet. Sounds like a hose bib but you are calling it a faucet.

As he said, its for an outside faucet on a metal building. In the south, hose bib is rarely ever heard, its either a faucet or a spigot. Its a regional thing. Faucet is always correct terminology.

Cannot imagine why you would think an outside faucet would have hot water routed to it.

My concern is glued fittings under the slab. I would have used Pex in the slab and be real concerned about having "rigid" PVC sch 40 with glued fittings anywhere in a slab. Its done and over now. Time will tell.

Charles

 

[40cpe]

My concern is glued fittings under the slab. I would have used Pex in the slab and be real concerned about having "rigid" PVC sch 40 with glued fittings anywhere in a slab. Its done and over now. Time will tell.

Charles

Yeah, PVC is probably not the best choice. If it makes any difference, it is in a trench under the slab, covered with dirt, visqueen, then the slab. Chances are it will be there long after I'm gone. I think the biggest threat is the slab moving and breaking the pipe underneath. If it fails I can disconnect it and run it outside the building. It's a shop, nothing critical or hi-tech.

 

[inphx]

Pack with wet sand.
Heat and bend.
Sand won't let pipe collapse.
Water blows out sand.
Install faucet

Thanks for technique

 

[jkwilson]

Cannot imagine why you would think an outside faucet would have hot water routed to it.

I know a few people who have hot water faucets outside. Livestock owners and excavators. Washing a car or anything steel in the winter wouldn't be possible with cold water some places without a heated building or heated water. Probably not an issue in Atlanta though.