Plumbers/contractors, question.

cornerspeed92 · 01-20-2016, 07:40 PM

Long story short. 2 years ago i had a MASSIVE tree cut down, and the stump was ground away, leaving the roots. Well, last spring hundreds of little trees started to spring up. I have to dig up my front yard and dig out the roots. My question is this, do i need to replace my water line? You can see the line is no longer straight from the roots. The pic with my shoe is a root i just cut out. On the close ups, there are 2 little indentations, other then that the line looks ok.

Superman09 · 01-20-2016, 09:10 PM

I'm no contractor or a plumber, and I didn't sleep in a holiday inn either, but I would guess if there are no leaks you should be good with just covering it back up and going in with life. Make sure you fill up below the line first and pack it pretty good as just dropping the dirt down on it could cause it to flex down enough to break/crack and start leaking.

Sent from my campfire using smoke signals

kmarshall2121 · 01-21-2016, 10:27 AM

as long as there are no stress cracks, cover it with sand or slurry and move on. if it helps you sleep better at night, have a plumbing company do a pressure test on your system. Looks ok to me though.

cornerspeed92 · 01-21-2016, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmarshall2121

as long as there are no stress cracks, cover it with sand or slurry and move on. if it helps you sleep better at night, have a plumbing company do a pressure test on your system. Looks ok to me though.

Thanks man, yeah no stress cracks, so i all good.

Racin J · 01-21-2016, 04:55 PM

The thing id worry about is that a curved water line will wear out quicker due to the water friction goin around those bends. If it were me id have it replaced while you have it dug up. Or you can do it again later its up to you

my .02

motorhead · 01-21-2016, 05:14 PM

I am a contractor and while K copper is very tough, I would be more concerned about it pulling hard on the fittings at the ends or where it goes through wall of the home. If it was deformed that much it has to be pulling hard on something. If that was mine and since you already have a hole in your yard, I would dig it up and change it to under ground pex pipe, or just throw caution to the wind and back fill it with crushed stone topsoil and pray. Make sure you have a good stone base under it so it's not stresses more. It would hurt to put some armafex insulation around it too

cornerspeed92 · 01-21-2016, 08:24 PM

Thanks again gentlemen, this place is so cool that we can ask for help, and we get it

s@d · 01-21-2016, 08:27 PM

Looks like 3/4in. K copper which is a soft copper made for bending and comes in a roll. K has a much thicker wall is made for underground. Fill the bottom of the hole with dirt put 12in. of sand under the line and 12in. of sand on top. Finish the rest with dirt and topsoil. Pex is not code where I am at use ABS plastic water pipe if you replace it in the future. Journeyman plumber 25yrs

motorhead · 01-22-2016, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s@d

Looks like 3/4in. K copper which is a soft copper made for bending and comes in a roll. K has a much thicker wall is made for underground. Fill the bottom of the hole with dirt put 12in. of sand under the line and 12in. of sand on top. Finish the rest with dirt and topsoil. Pex is not code where I am at use ABS plastic water pipe if you replace it in the future. Journeyman plumber 25yrs

We use a blue pex type pipe up here specifically for underground use. Im not sure of the astm number, but it isnt the same as household pex. We have to use crushed linestone up here for bedding

01-20-2016, 07:40 PM	#1
cornerspeed92 Drives: 2013 1SS 1LE Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,188 View My Garage	Plumbers/contractors, question. Long story short. 2 years ago i had a MASSIVE tree cut down, and the stump was ground away, leaving the roots. Well, last spring hundreds of little trees started to spring up. I have to dig up my front yard and dig out the roots. My question is this, do i need to replace my water line? You can see the line is no longer straight from the roots. The pic with my shoe is a root i just cut out. On the close ups, there are 2 little indentations, other then that the line looks ok. Attached Images __________________

01-21-2016, 08:24 PM	#7
cornerspeed92 Drives: 2013 1SS 1LE Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,188 View My Garage	Thanks again gentlemen, this place is so cool that we can ask for help, and we get it __________________

01-20-2016, 09:10 PM	#2
Superman09 Account SNAFU Drives: 13 Tahoe 79 Scout II 15 1LE Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 1,356 View My Garage	I'm no contractor or a plumber, and I didn't sleep in a holiday inn either, but I would guess if there are no leaks you should be good with just covering it back up and going in with life. Make sure you fill up below the line first and pack it pretty good as just dropping the dirt down on it could cause it to flex down enough to break/crack and start leaking. Sent from my campfire using smoke signals

01-21-2016, 10:27 AM	#3
kmarshall2121 Drives: 2012 45th Anniversary Edition Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,618 View My Garage	as long as there are no stress cracks, cover it with sand or slurry and move on. if it helps you sleep better at night, have a plumbing company do a pressure test on your system. Looks ok to me though.

01-21-2016, 04:55 PM	#5
Racin J Drives: 2012 2LS Black, K&N, Nittos Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Lafayette In Posts: 44	The thing id worry about is that a curved water line will wear out quicker due to the water friction goin around those bends. If it were me id have it replaced while you have it dug up. Or you can do it again later its up to you my .02

01-21-2016, 05:14 PM	#6
motorhead Drives: Love the one you're with Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Downtown Charlie Brown Posts: 11,849	I am a contractor and while K copper is very tough, I would be more concerned about it pulling hard on the fittings at the ends or where it goes through wall of the home. If it was deformed that much it has to be pulling hard on something. If that was mine and since you already have a hole in your yard, I would dig it up and change it to under ground pex pipe, or just throw caution to the wind and back fill it with crushed stone topsoil and pray. Make sure you have a good stone base under it so it's not stresses more. It would hurt to put some armafex insulation around it too

01-21-2016, 08:27 PM	#8
s@d s@d Drives: 2014 zl1 black on black Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Rochester NY Posts: 15	Looks like 3/4in. K copper which is a soft copper made for bending and comes in a roll. K has a much thicker wall is made for underground. Fill the bottom of the hole with dirt put 12in. of sand under the line and 12in. of sand on top. Finish the rest with dirt and topsoil. Pex is not code where I am at use ABS plastic water pipe if you replace it in the future. Journeyman plumber 25yrs