Moving outside faucet - PEX

[pcgold]

Advice and opinions needed.

My outside faucet is about 6 feet away from where it should be. I currently have to crawl behind some trees to get it.

I want to extend the outlet about 6 feet, including at least two 90 degree outside and inside corners to allow it to route to beside my front steps. My local big box recommends using PEX.

I've done some research and found a PDF PEX installers guide. This guide says I could do what I want, but probably doesn't envision the extreme cold temps we get.

PEX can freeze. I live in a climate where it can get down to -40 degrees. Of course the line will be blown out with my compressor before it gets a chance to freeze in the fall.

Also, what about bending it?

Anybody with experience like I am going to do?

Or, any other suggestions or advice? Can't use copper outside here.

 

[cubfarm 1]

With pex just upsize your pipe and fittings one size. The fittings are on the INSIDE and restrict the flow a bit.

 

[Bluepine]

Most PEX cant withstand UV light, so keep it covered. You can generally bend PEX at 6 times its diameter ( 1/2 inch can make a 3 inch bend ) they make bend protectors that will hold a bend in place.

 

[Airborne Ed]

I installed pex for my base board heating and am very pleased . The pex will take freezing better than copper tubing will.---Less fittings , easier to get around obstacles and quicker .

 

[fury9]

I wouldn't want 6 feet of exposed water line outside in the freeze. What about cobbling something together that would screw onto the existing faucet? You could just take it off for the winter

 

[justsam]

What is your existing plumbing? Is it copper, PEX, or galvanized pipe. I am not sure I understand the limitation on using copper. Can it be protected in some manner to meet requirements?

 

[Boomer343]

OK so you have two choices...one is to reroute the hose bib to a new location where it suits your purpose or the other is to add an extention onto the existing.

Since you recognize the need to shut off the water supply and drain the lines then any product would work including copper....ie if there is nothing to freeze and expand then what is the issue?

Back to the PEX...will work and if you need to bend it somewhat then use a heat gun or if you are don't have that then use a hair blow dryer and warm up the pex and bend away. I use a heat gun to straighten it as well when it comes off a coil.

Look for Super PEX as it has a covering that resists UV ...HD has it

You stubble jumpers should be able to cobble together something....the Green and White aren't going to any playoff games so you'll have plenty of time to work things out before freeze up VBG.

 

[denis4x4]

I moved my frost free faucet 12' using PEX and also put in a dry well with PEX. No problems in 3 years.

 

[pcgold]

I should have been more specific. This will be an extension, not moving.

(Boomer, they can win any 3 quarter game. Now 4 quarters, that's something else entirely.)

 

[Milton Shaw]

I made a movable faucet out of a stainless steel washer hose and fittings. Take it off every winter and it's worked great. The old faucet was on the wrong side of a fence on a utility room and moving it to the fence makes it much easier to water yard/fill kiddie pools/water dog. Just needed a male hose thread to 1/2in MPT to make the connection.

 

[Weekend_warrior]

I'd just trim up the trees from the front so that you have a path and keep it clear. Sounds like they are 2 close to the house anyway.

 

[kbs2244]

Go to the local big box and get one of those new stainless steel reinforces washing machine hoses.
You can snake it around to where you want it.
You don’t have to worry about it bursting.
And in the fall you just take it off and take it into the basement.

 

[pcgold]

Milton, kbs....Brilliant.

Weekend warrior, the faucet is at the back of a raised garden with retaining blocks around it. The trees are pyrimidial cedars so they are okay where they are, but thanx for the suggestion anyway.

 

[kartracer23]

Go to any big box store & they have a 6 ft. extension hose with a staked faucet on the other end for exactly this situation. Leave the one on behind the bushes and turn it off / on at the extension faucet.

Last house I lived in, they brilliantly put the faucet right behind the AC unit and I had one of these. Worked fine.

Eleven bucks:

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/...73008?defattrib=&defattribvalue=&listIndex=10