Water pipes      03/02/2019

How to lay hot water underground. Laying a water supply system from polypropylene pipes in the ground with your own hands

The convenience and comfort of a private home is attracting more and more people. The desire to experience the pleasure of peace and comfort does not disappear even after realizing the degree of responsibility for the new home.

After all, absolutely all life support systems fall on the owner. Including water supply. In order for the water supply to work smoothly, it is necessary to take care of its proper installation. The choice of pipes for underground water supply is of great importance.

Sources of underground water supply can be a well or an artesian well. The well is inferior in terms of water purity, but this option is more affordable. Drilling a well is not a cheap pleasure.

Afterwards, pumping equipment is selected. The main criterion is power. The larger the volume of water needed for a private home, the higher its power should be. Surface pumps are designed for depths of up to 10 meters. Submersible units – up to 20 meters.

Criteria for choosing pipes for laying underground water supply

Pipes for underground water supply on the site are selected depending on their purpose. To work exclusively in the warm season, the products can be installed close to the ground surface. If year-round use of the water supply is expected, then installation must be carried out below the freezing line.

Pros and cons of different types of pipes

The range of models for underground water supply is quite wide. In particular, they can be made from various materials. And each of them has its own positive and negative sides.

The choice of material is made depending on the amount available to the owner.

You also need to analyze your own needs and compare the parameters of each type of raw material.

Steel

Steel products that were popular in the past have now sunk into oblivion. The demand for steel models has practically disappeared. This is explained in a trivial way. This raw material for manufacturing water supply structures morally obsolete. Much more durable and practical materials are used to produce products.

To the advantage steel models can only be attributed to their low price. There are many more disadvantages:

  1. Expensive installation.
  2. Susceptibility to corrosion. Over time, rust fills the internal space of the product, the throughput decreases, and the water pressure becomes weak.
  3. Steel has a lot of weight. This can make installation difficult and difficult to do alone.

Metal-plastic

Modern material that meets all requirements. It is gaining more and more popularity every year. All thanks to a lot of positive aspects:

  1. The service life reaches 30–40 years. Metal-plastic is inferior in durability only to copper products. But its indicators are also acceptable for modern construction.
  2. Affordable price category. The cost of these products is an order of magnitude lower than the price of copper pipes.
  3. Easy and simple installation. In order to carry out installation, you do not need to have special knowledge. Metal-plastic pipes They are lightweight, so one person can handle the installation.
  4. Durability, reliability. Pipes for underground water supply, made of metal-plastic, are practical to use.

Products are made from several types of raw materials: glue, plastic and aluminum.

The manufacturing scheme is as follows: the aluminum frame is covered with plastic on the outside and inside, and the structure is held together with glue.

Plastic

Most cheap way organize country water supply - install plastic pipes. Other numerous benefits include:

  1. Installation of water pipes is easy and quick.
  2. The very light weight of the products allows installation alone.
  3. The service life reaches thirty years.
  4. They do not change the color, taste or smell of water.
  5. They are not afraid of long-term exposure to sunlight.
  6. Do not rot.
  7. They do not crack or burst, even if there is ice inside.
  8. Water freezes in plastic pipes much less often than in other types of products.
  9. Democratic price.

If you decide to use plastic for the water supply, then you need to think about optimal thermal insulation and also choose the right size. To do this, you can use the services of a specialist in this field. You can do repairs, modifications and installation of additional accessories yourself.

Copper

The option is the most expensive of all possible. Nevertheless, copper models have a number of advantages:

  1. Durability. Copper is different long term services. Pipes made from this raw material are used from fifty years to one and a half centuries.
  2. No corrosion. Copper pipes do not become rusty. Due to this, the product lasts longer.
  3. Disinfecting effect. The bactericidal properties of copper have a positive effect on the quality of the water passed through, which compensates for the high price.

After choosing the material for the pipes, you need to decide on their diameter.

Cost calculation

The cost of laying water pipes summer cottage or for a private home depends on several factors:

  • length;
  • number of pipes;
  • installation method.

The trenchless method will cost the owner an average of $30 per linear meter. The most commonly used models are 3–5 centimeters in diameter. In this case, the water transmission speed will be approximately 2 m/s. A smaller diameter will lead to water stagnation and rust formation on the internal surfaces products.

The cost of a pipe is directly dependent on its diameter. The larger it is, the more expensive the equipment. Installation of pipes with a diameter of 4 centimeters costs $80 per linear meter.

Trench laying of water pipes has a much lower price than the trenchless method. A 30-centimeter trench is dug for $10–15 per meter. A large trench requires a lot of money. Installation of a complex water supply branch at a depth of one or two meters is carried out for 40–50 dollars per linear meter.

The finished water supply must be tested within one day, this is how the throughput of the pipes is assessed. If there are no problems, heat and waterproofing is installed on the pipes. If a defect is detected, it is corrected through small hatches.

The correct choice of model affects the durability and reliability of the entire structure. The most practical and convenient to use are structures made of plastic and metal-plastic.

You always have to pay some fee for living in your own home enjoying peace and quiet, and working to improve your home. Now we are talking about different systems providing life comfort and responsibility to their organizer and owner. If you live in apartment building, then the utility workers will do everything for you, but if you have a private home, then be so kind as to be responsible for everything yourself. A typical example would be a plumbing system. What is its efficiency and functions in different climates? The answer to this question is very simple; everything will be fine if it is laid in the ground correctly and according to the rules. How to properly produce and install an autonomous water supply system in a private household? This is exactly what we will talk about in our article.

First beginnings in laying work
First of all, always first create a laying diagram, the so-called project. This will certainly not be the creation of the greatest architect with the inherent style and correctness of the image. But, nevertheless, the most important data must be present there, and first of all, you need to pay attention to the following.

  • Laying a water supply system in the ground directly depends on the type of soil in the area, whether it is loose or soft.
  • The total size of the entire area on which the water supply pipe will be laid is what makes it clear what the approximate number of “entry holes” and forks will be.

Important! Before laying plumbing, you must.

Pipes, what material is best to use?

How deep to bury pipes? This is a constantly burning question that constantly hangs in the air and in the minds of people who want to do everything with their own hands. The correct conclusions should be drawn, first of all, by correctly determining the type of pipe. It's them individual characteristics and qualities are completely unique when a water pipe is laid in the ground. Skills accumulated over time show that the best way out of the situation is the HDPE PN10 pipe. If you say in simple language then this is a material consisting of polyethylene, and low pressure, which is quite suitable for laying pipes through which drinking water will flow.

Those. Characteristics of this type of pipe.

  1. Not exposed various types corrosion, unlike metal ones.
  2. They maintain a pressure of about 10 atmospheres.
  3. Very durable, that's what makes them unique.
  4. They bend in different directions very easily and easily.
  5. During the winter period they behave quite predictably and withstand everything very well.

The structuring of the soil directly affects the quality of the ditch.

Attention! There are pipes of the “PN 6” brand; they are certainly more economical, but do not waste your nerves by buying a cheaper product, because during use there will certainly be nuances and problems.


A special pipe for laying water pipes in the ground

In addition, pipes of the first type, “HDPE,” are installed very quickly, and their fittings are not that expensive. We are not asking you to make a specific water supply directly according to our article, you can consider and read any option yourself, everything will be the way you decide for yourself, and what means and opportunities you will have for this.
Laying a water pipeline in the ground price: Average cost of laying 1 m/p of water pipeline from HDPE pipes DN 50mm open method— 2000 rubles / 520 hryvnias / 60 dollars.

Regulatory Definitions

So, first of all, we turn to SNiP, so that once again Don’t think about how deep the water pipe should be. This documentation determines, first of all, any technical nuance, down to the depth of the backfill ditch street pipes conducting water. In view of the developed regulations, the depth of pipes should be at least one and a half meters. Moreover, this instruction has every reason:

  • Most often, the ground freezes to 1.4 meters, and if you make a ditch less than 1.6 m, this can lead to freezing of the water in the pipe and the impossibility of using the water supply system physically almost all winter until the thaw.
  • How your area freezes depends on your location. It’s better to consult with some construction company in your city. They usually dig in the ground all year round, and it is in view of this that they will be able to explain to you exactly what the depth of freezing is and what is best to do.


Attention. At a level deeper than 1.6 meters, the temperature is stable.

Some problems and nuances when laying plumbing in the ground

Usually the biggest problems occur when the soil structure does not allow you to go deep enough. What are we doing? We tear everything out as much as possible. Next we lay the pipes, but before that we do good thermal insulation. And, ultimately, important aspect which is mandatory for the normal and proper functioning of the water supply system is the installation of heating cables along the entire length of the pipeline system. Of course, this version is very, very cost-effective, and it takes a lot of effort during installation. But ultimately this is the most the best option, under given conditions.

Modern communications are laid different ways. Cables and pipes in houses are placed directly on the walls or behind them, sometimes water supply pipes have to be buried. Outside the house, methods of deep pipe laying are mainly used, this is when a trench is used for water supply.

It is almost impossible to damage properly laid water supply or sewerage pipes underground, which makes this method of installing polyethylene communications extremely profitable and convenient.

Features of laying pipes in the ground

It is possible to lay a sewerage pipeline made of polypropylene in the ground almost everywhere. And there are many reasons for this. To understand them, you need to soberly assess the situation and the features of laying pipelines.

Most modern buildings are connected to central heating and plumbing systems. Thus, the owners of these houses do not have to worry about installing and maintaining additional equipment such as pumping stations or building any kind of boiler room.

You just need to find and connect to the central highways, and then enjoy the gifts of civilization. However, to connect a house to a HDPE pipeline, you need to extend the pipes to the building itself. It is possible to pull a water pipe along the ground if the depth of the HDPE water pipe is known, but such actions have certain consequences.

Ground laying of pipelines involves installing pipes on consoles and special supports; there is no need to bury it. At the same time, the HDPE pipe is very easy to find and damage; it can freeze in winter or be damaged by atmospheric influences.

The visual side of the issue should not be written off either. It is unlikely that anyone will like it when their yard is cut through by multiple pipeline lines, which will not at all decorate or improve the yard area.

Moreover, here it is worth understanding that on the site, in addition to the work on connecting to the sewerage mains, it is also necessary to lay a fire water supply system, household HDPE irrigation systems, etc.

But it’s better to bury HDPE water pipes in the ground, this saves us from all these problems. Pipes for HDPE water supply, which are laid underground, are extremely difficult to damage. Especially if they were laid correctly and insulated against freezing. They do not hinder us by one meter from freely moving around the site and do not spoil its visual appearance.

The ability to hide a water supply underground is the right and most profitable solution for those who are faced with the issue of arranging communications or sewerage for their home.

The water pipeline is laid in the ground at a certain depth. This is a very important procedure that cannot be ignored. At what depth it is better to bury HDPE sewer pipelines depends on the characteristics of a particular region and the site itself.

What are the main tasks correct selection depth of HDPE sewerage pipelines - this eliminates their possible freezing in winter time of the year. Each region has its own level of soil freezing. As a rule, this figure is 1.2-1.6 meters.

It follows from it that at maximum frosts in this region the ground will freeze to the specified meter. Moreover, it does not matter whether you use trench or trenchless pipeline laying. In any case, the HDPE sewer pipe must not be allowed to be above the freezing point of the soil. Otherwise, it will freeze with all its contents.

It is advisable that the product for water supply or sewerage in the ground has insulation, and is also located at least 20 centimeters below the freezing point of the soil. In weak and loose soils, this figure doubles.

Insulation of pipes during installation

Laying a water supply underground at the correct depth helps to get rid of most problems associated with freezing of the soil and exposure to low temperatures per meter. However, we still shouldn’t forget about insulating the water supply pipe in the ground.

Here the quality of the pipeline per meter and their properties also play a role. Always remember that pipelines laid in the ground are very difficult to reach or find.

It is necessary to choose a material that can constantly withstand heavy loads, be durable and have a low cost. Otherwise from permanent repair work and you can’t get away with various kinds of minor troubles, and this has a considerable cost.

Here are a few basic requirements that you need to set if you want to use pipelines for underground installation:

  • Resistance to external influences;
  • Durability;
  • Strength per meter of product;
  • Lack of response to temperature changes;
  • Efficiency of underground use;
  • Easy to install, easy to insulate.

After many years of testing, it has been proven that the best pipes to use for pp water supply are plastic samples. Specifically from polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or low-density polyethylene. These pipes are durable, they need to be insulated, they do not react at all to corrosion and are very easy to use.

There are also certain requirements for insulation, which largely overlap with similar requirements for pipes.

Here is their main list:

  • Durability;
  • Resistance to moisture per meter of product;
  • Relative strength;
  • No problems with rodents;
  • Efficiency.

IN Lately Insulation of water supply pipelines in the ground has to be done through the use of insulation made of polyurethane foam or highly compacted polystyrene foam.

Methods for insulating underground pipelines

There are several ways to insulate a meter of water pipe by digging underground. Each of them provides the possibility of using different materials and designs.

Here we list some of the main most popular methods:

  • The underground water pipe is additionally wrapped with insulation made of polyurethane foam or other similar material, the width of which can be different;
  • While digging, the pipelines are filled with polystyrene concrete or petrocrete, forming a kind of protective cover made of lightweight concrete;
  • Laying a water pipeline in a case, when the main pipeline is located inside another, larger pipe and a thermal air gap is formed between them. Methods for trenchless pipeline laying provide for the possibility of insulating products using such a system;
  • Wrapping the pipe with a heating cable, the width of which is selected individually;
  • Increase in pressure in the pipeline. This method of insulation is not so popular, since pressure can be increased to high levels only in individual systems. But scientists have proven that when high blood pressure the liquid in the pipes does not freeze and builders take advantage of this feature.

Technology and stages of laying pipes underground

Excavation work when laying pipelines is carried out in two main ways: trench or trenchless. Each of them has its own characteristics and is applicable in different situations.

Trench pipe laying

Laying a water pipeline in the ground through trenches is the most ancient and simplest method of performing such work. The builders' task is to dig a trench and lay a pipeline along it in the desired direction. With this method it is easy to find laid pipelines.

You can even dig trenches manually. However, we cannot ignore the fact that this is hard and lengthy work. The use of construction equipment significantly simplifies the work of excavators, but does not make it cheaper. It’s enough just to remember or find the cost of one hour of excavator work, but you will need a lot of such hours.

The width of the trench when laying a water pipeline deeply is 70-90 centimeters. Here, the number of pipelines being laid, as well as their dimensions, has an influence. The depth of the trench, as mentioned above, is selected by determining the freezing point of the soil (you can find it in special tables).

  1. We dig a trench of the required size.
  2. We seal the walls and bottom of the trench.
  3. We make a shock-absorbing pillow from 10 cm of sand.
  4. We are engaged in laying and connecting pipelines.
  5. We fill the pipes with sand to a level that should be found 5 cm above the top point of the largest pipeline.
  6. Lay the pipe passages in one layer broken bricks, shingles or tiles.
  7. We stretch red plastic tape over the top.
  8. We fill the trench with earth.

Trenchless pipe laying

Methods for trenchless pipeline laying have appeared relatively recently. The fact is that channelless installation of pipelines is possible only through the use of a variety of specialized equipment. To work you need to find hydraulic jack, laser level, etc.

Trenchless installation is carried out using sanitation or piercing. Rehabilitation is replacement old pipe or the introduction of a new one. If the old pipes are preserved, then the new pipeline is simply passed through them.

Piercing involves finishing the pipe. A special device independently digs a place under the pipe, and then simultaneously fixes it by mounting a steel shell. Then the pipeline itself is placed inside the shell itself. This installation method is also called a gasket in a case.

  1. We accurately determine the lines of the future pipeline and dig two pits at its opposite ends.
  2. We determine the direction using laser level or theodolite and install drilling equipment.
  3. We wait until the device finishes its work.
  4. After completing the formation of the case, we push the pipes into it.
  5. We connect the pipeline to the system, then test it for functionality.

Trenchless installation (video)

Price of work

The price of laying a water pipeline in the ground depends on its length, volume and the method of performing the work.

The cost of laying a water pipeline in the ground using the trenchless method is $25-35 per 1 m.p. This takes into account the fact that the pipe being laid has a diameter in the range of 100-120 mm. The thicker the pipe, the more you will have to pay. Laying pipes with a diameter of 400 mm will cost 75-90 dollars per 1 linear meter.

The cost of trenching is much less. If the trench width is 30 cm, it can be ordered for $10 per 1 m.p. However, the larger the trench, the more you will have to pay for it. Installation of pipelines with several branches and at a depth of 1.5 meters is estimated at $40 per 1 m.p.

Pave water pipe underground is much more economical than insulating a ground line. But you should know that underground water pipes also require careful insulation. The installation of such a line can begin in any direction: internal wiring - inlet tap or, conversely, from the tap to the house. Most often, the inlet valve is located in a special well, which is located on the territory of a private household. This can be a metal or polypropylene tap.

The first step in laying a water pipeline is to dig a trench to the required depth. Then a hole with a diameter equal to the pipe plus insulation is made in the wall of the well from the trench. From the side of the trench, a pre-welded and insulated pipe is launched into the well.

In the event that you plan to install a water meter in the house, if you want to install a street water pump in the yard, you will have to pull an additional pipe from the house to the yard. If the water metering unit is installed in a well, then you can immediately bring the gander up. It will also be useful for construction work and will be useful in the future, for household purposes.

To do this, you just need to solder a suitable tee; doing this “later” will be much more problematic. The mistake of many is to lead such a column straight up, through the lid that covers the well. It is much easier for water to get inside from top to bottom. It is much better to lead the pipe through the same wall as the main line. To do this, drill a hole exactly above the place where the tee will be soldered.



The remaining connections are made under the hole.



The design must meet the condition: a site is required on which the water meter will be installed, and this site must be in front of all possible taps. This is what the connection in the well looks like:



Here the water meter will be installed on a horizontal section.

The water supply must enter the building at the same depth. The pipe rises up inside the house.



Once the line is started, all street work can be completed. The weather may change and the trench, if it rains, may fill with water, which is not good. The pipe, previously insulated, is first covered with sand.



It is filled in until a 5-10 cm layer of sand hides the insulation.



Inside the house, the pipe should be placed so that it is not damaged during construction work. If this requires digging a small hole, it is better to do so. Having entered the building in a trench, the line continues its path to the place where all wiring will begin.



At this point you need to install another inlet valve, which in the future will be the main, working valve. For convenience, another gander can be removed after the crane for the duration of interior work.


It is also better to place the pipe inside the building in insulation. The temperature inside will remain more uniform, which will serve as protection against condensation.

In places where the pipe turns, you need to try to take into account one small, but important detail: where there is such a possibility, instead of one 90° corner it is better to install two 45° corners. This will reduce water resistance and maintain the diameter of the main line up to the inlet tap in the house.

If during installation of the water supply line there is no need to solder the turning corners, it is better not to do this.



After the line is installed, before backfilling, it is necessary to additionally insulate all uncovered sections of the pipeline (usually these are turning points). The insulation can be secured with tape.



Laying a pipeline is a job that almost any owner of a summer house or country house. The fact is that ground installation of plumbing or heating is allowed only in undeveloped areas where the structure does not bother anyone or where it is not possible to place the system underground. In all other cases, underground installation is assumed.

How to lay a water pipe underground

The main problem when transferring liquid, especially hot liquid, is heat loss during movement. Because of this, underground installation is recommended: losses in the air will be much higher, while the soil conducts heat worse. In practice, this, of course, is not enough and the pipe must be laid in the ground with insulation.


Quite familiar materials are used for this - basalt wool, foamed polyethylene, expanded polystyrene. The thickness of the thermal insulation layer is calculated taking into account the weather. In some cases, even the use of a heating cable is allowed.

Second mandatory requirement– depth determination. The pipeline must be located below the soil freezing level. Otherwise, there is a high risk of water freezing and, accordingly, damage to the system. For middle regions, the freezing level is about 1.4 m. The optimal depth for a water supply system is considered to be 1.6 m. Greater depths are not recommended, since the product may not withstand soil pressure, especially when it comes to HDPE water pipelines.

The pipeline is placed in the ground at already finished form– assembled and insulated, so that all welding work must be completed before installation.


The technology for assembling the water supply system itself is simple, if the diagram is correctly calculated.

  1. In accordance with the plan, they dig a trench to the required depth. The width is small: for one HDPE water pipeline. for example, 40–50 cm is enough.
  2. Most often, in private construction, an inlet valve is installed in a well. Sometimes a water meter is installed there. A hole equal to the size of the water pipeline is made in the wall of such a well, and the assembled and thermally insulated pipeline is lowered into the well.
  3. If the meter is placed in a well, then it would be correct to immediately bring the gander up. The meter itself is mounted in front of all taps.
  4. The water supply enters the house at the same depth as it is placed in the trench. Upward installation is only permitted inside the building.
  5. The trench is filled with sand until a layer of sand 5–10 cm thick is formed above the water conduit. Then the trench is filled with soil.


You can learn in detail how to lay a water pipe underground in the video.

In cases where some kind of obstacle arises in front of the well - a road, for example, which is not uncommon in a summer cottage where more than one person uses the well, the question arises of how to lay a pipe underground without digging. Such technology exists, but in fact, in most cases it is cheaper to lay a trench.

To lay a pipeline without digging, you need to bring a regular trench to the obstacle. Then a recess is made at the bottom of the trench and a timber support platform is secured. The soil in the desired area is pierced with a 3-meter solid rod. The bar rests on the jack, the latter rests on the platform. This way you can puncture the area under the road without digging.


Laying the heating system

You can lay a heating pipe underground in the same way as a water pipe. But in addition to the above requirements, several more are added:

  • placement allowed heating pipes above the freezing level. But in this case, the thermal insulation should be much better and protection against water freezing should be provided. Laying the system below the freezing level is always cheaper in the end;


  • The return pipe should in no case be higher than or at the same level as the supply pipe;
  • it would be correct to provide additional protection from soil pressure, especially when there is danger of movement or high groundwater.


Thermal insulation materials for heating water pipes are the same. On the picture - heating system in a “shell” made of polystyrene foam.