PVC in concrete for water feed

[Zogman]

We are pouring the foundation next week for my garage and I want to make sure the inspector doesn't freak out at my design. I have a toilet and sink being installed so I am plumbing water into the bathroom. I just want to make sure that it's OK to code for me to use schedule 40 PVC wrapped in some sort of foam and then covered in concrete until it comes up between the wall. Just making sure since this is my first rodeo. I don't want to use copper since I'm not good at sweating solder. Thanks.

 

[bazzateer]

Probably best to call the local 'code police' and ask them? Likely you'll only get opinions on here.

 

[larry4406]

Here in VA and MD we use black polyethelene piping for water service. Copper water service is virtually obsolete. Here is an example of the ground works I did in my old garage. You can see how the water service is protected with a corrugated sleeve.

For your toilet, do yourself a favor and get a 3x4 elbow and use the 4" vertical for the toilet. Leave the 4" stub abut 2-3" higher than your concrete floor. Later, flush cut the 4" stub with the finished floor (concrete, ceramic, etc). Then your closet flange will fit inside. If you use a 3" stub for the toilet, then you will want to put a foam sleeve around it to later receive the hub for the closet flange.

I would not use SCH40 PVC for the water service.

 

[gasaxeman]

I have used pex tube for water service and heat.
I have seen schedule 40 used for the cold side only. All of the wells I have connected use 1" sch.40 from the black underground service pipe to the inside pressure tank.
Usually they would use cpvc for domestic water.

 

[Majordisorder]

Another vote for no Sch. 40 pvc. Mostly seeing 160 or 200 psi poly. Would still sleeve any pipes coming through the concrete with foam or a couple wraps of sill sealer.

 

[63spyder]

Here you're not allowed to run white PVC for water up into the house, it has to stop so many feet before entrance to the house

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

If you are running water service to the garage and coming up through the future concrete slab then I would recommend one continuous piece of black plastic well pipe from the source to the terminus in the garage. Just put a sleeve around where the concrete will be poured. If you are thinking of burying your individual supply lines to the sink and toilet within your poured floor then I would use PEX, again sleeved where it penetrates the concrete. It also might be a lot easier to bury these lines in the walls. I buried mine because I don't have your Southern California climate and didn't want to deal with frozen pipes.

As stated above, it all depends on your local code...

Also I would never encapsulate copper in concrete because it will corrode and fail in short order.

Here is mine before I poured:

 

[Zogman]

Thanks for the replies. As recommended I emailed my inspector and asked him about PEX and he said it is approved as long as there aren't any connections underground. In researching PEX, it said it is supposed to be used underground and indoors exclusively. My question then is what is the best way to connect this to my 1" water line coming from my house and not have an underground PEX connection and yet not have it exposed. Can I make the connection say 6" above ground but wrap the **** out of it? Sorry for the lame questions folks but I've already been bent over by one plumber and it's time for me to take matters in my own hands. Thanks again.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

As long as your connecting your 1" PVC and PEX in your garage, it is considered 'indoors.' No wrapping needed. PEX just cannot be exposed to sunlight, it will deteriorate.

 

[Zogman]

Well you see that's the rub. The connection is outside the garage. People are telling me to us PEX and not PVC through the concrete. That means the PEX has to connect to my water feed which is outside the garage. Now if I ran PVC through the concrete then it's a non issue but I am not.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Make the pex to pvc connection underground a foot or so outside the foundation. Wrap the daylights out of it with plastic and tape (good use for duct tape?) and then put an upside down bucket over it and cover it up. Or take a piece of pvc or similar in and stick it in the ground as a marker of the location of the joint. As an alternative, use a glue on PVC ball valve and then to the transition to pex and put it in a "meter box" or similar as a disconnect outside the building.

Charles

 

[Tunajoe]

Where you connect PVC to pex install a valve box. Home Depot sells them in the sprinkler section

 

[raceman17]

This is what's I did for my house and shop and had no issues. Run the Grey electrical underground pvc pipe up into where your inside connections will be. Use the electrical 90 degree sweep to get the pvc turned up running in your wall. Use the electrical pvc pipe as your sleeve. Then you can just push your pex tubing through the sleeve and make your connections. You can buy adapters that go from pvc to pex to make your outside connections. Cover that connection with the valve box as suggested. Problem solved.

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