PVC main into house froze and split

[SALIV8]

Hopefully the damage doesn't go below the slab. I have a few ideas to run past you guys.

- replace pvc and add heat tape and insulation. Outlet is nearby in crawl.

- replace with pex.

- replace with pvc and heat tape with an automatic electric drain valve and install switch in house. (I'm leaning towards this.)

What would you do?

 

[Jlbc212]

What does it supply?

 

[SALIV8]

What does it supply?

The whole house. It's an 1 1/4" supply.

 

[aar0s]

I've been told that pex can handle a couple of freeze/thaw cycles, not that I've ever seen 1 1/4 pex before.

 

[ishiboo]

Pex seems to handle freeze/thaw cycles okay, but I'm not sure all the fittings do. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone who wants to sell a few feet of 1 1/4 PEX. So I'd do PVC, insulate and heat tape.

 

[SEV22XS]

When I lived in a house with a crawl space when it got really cold I would leave a facet or two just trickling to keep from freezing. But you should heat trace it and insulate for sure.

 

[Kaizen]

no pex. just ran into this and with heat tape on it the pex droops like a wet noodle. id put wrap on the pvc and get some high quality insulation. I got a thermostat from hd for like 30 bucks that had an outside sending unit. I put it in my basement and kick on my heat tape which I put into my lights when it gets to 35 degrees or so.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

1¼ pipe is so large that the typical house flows (especially at nite when only the commode and ice maker are the only draws of water) are, most likely, not enough to keep it from freezing. Smaller pipe, 1 inch, or ¾ would see the water move thru it more quickly and less likely to freeze.

 

[Cyberbear]

Heat tape and new sched. 80 PVC pipe and fittings might do the trick. My heat tape came with a thermo switch that comes on at freezing. In my pump house I have a thermo controlled outlet that I plug a farm type milk room heater that cycles on and off when it gets below freezing, easier than running heat tape over all the pipe pumping system.

 

[SALIV8]

Thanks guys. Charles, this is our weekend home, therefore no flow typically. I kill the well and drain it when we leave. Must not have drained it enough. I'll look into heat tape/insulation and maybe I'll install an electric drain valve that I can run the wires into the house, and just flip a switch.

 

[CNGsaves]

Need to modify structure around that well/pipe so it becomes part of "conditioned" space where it gets heat all the time in winter. Too much risk in Chicago leaving that in open crawl space.

Build insulated "house" around it with some sort of ductwork from above that can have a damper/fan that kicks on to blow warm air down there. Make the walls interlock (ie tongue & groove) and be removable with bolts when there might be need for service.

One of those infrared heaters could be rigged up with flexible dryer hose to direct air down into well space.

Be sure to put out plenty of Dcon poison in open crawl space areas as the heat will draw in lots of mice wanting to enjoy the heated space (thus another reason to build surrounding structure with tongue & groove).

 

[SALIV8]

Need to modify structure around that well/pipe so it becomes part of "conditioned" space where it gets heat all the time in winter. Too much risk in Chicago leaving that in open crawl space.

Build insulated "house" around it with some sort of ductwork from above that can have a damper/fan that kicks on to blow warm air down there. Make the walls interlock (ie tongue & groove) and be removable with bolts when there might be need for service.

One of those infrared heaters could be rigged up with flexible dryer hose to direct air down into well space.

Be sure to put out plenty of Dcon poison in open crawl space areas as the heat will draw in lots of mice wanting to enjoy the heated space (thus another reason to build surrounding structure with tongue & groove).

I thought about heating the area at least, and it's just not gonna happen. I gotta work with what's there. It's in mich and sees slightly colder temps than chgo.

Will have to be sure I'm draining completely, insulate, insulate and heat trace it, or run an auto valve, are my only obvious choices.

 

[SALIV8]

Heat tape and new sched. 80 PVC pipe and fittings might do the trick. My heat tape came with a thermo switch that comes on at freezing. In my pump house I have a thermo controlled outlet that I plug a farm type milk room heater that cycles on and off when it gets below freezing, easier than running heat tape over all the pipe pumping system.

This is what I'm leaning towards but sch 40 with the tape, and insualtion. Or an auto valve if I can get it to drain properly.