LADBS requies PEX pipe in soil to be wrapped:

[netinfo.ladbs.org]

"When PEX tubing is installed underground, the tubing shall be sleeved with piping or tubing approved for underground potable water systems or other material that is impermeable to solvents or petroleum products."

It appears that Los Angeles or California is pretty much the only place (that I know of) where this is requied. Even Uponor suggests that wrapping can potentially be a risk if pestizides were to pool between the pipe and the wrap, while there is no such risk without wrap.

Nevertheless, I can't find presleeved PEX pipe for 1'' PEX. Uponor makes presleeved PEX only for 1/2 and 3/4''. Using plastic conduit as wrap does not seem practical or even feasible as PEX is supposed to be laid in a snake pattern in the trench, and/or the installation may not have straight runs.

What product could be used for the wrap required by code? Do you think this would satisfy the requirements: [www.oatey.com]



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Watts makes a pre-sleeved 1" Pex. [www.watts.com]

The sleeve is HDPE and HDPE is very resistant to chemicals. [www.sdplastics.com]

Thanks, but I have already Uponor PEX, and would like to be consistent within the installation; also not all manufacturers' PEX are compatible with all fittings. I'm hoping that someone from California could tell what the inspectors approve for the required sleeving per code, as this seems to be only a CA issue (or arguably a conceived "issue" or non-issue). How about the "PipeGuard" that I linked above? Please don't politely remind me that I can ask at the Building Department - I know I can do that, and it's a time-consuming process to get the right person with the correct information there

You want to know what the inspector will approve but don't want to call them? Glad I'm not working for you. Playing guessing games is a waste of time, waiting for a return call is not.

how about fostapex ?

quoe; other material that is permeable to solvents or petroleum products

PERMEABLE? That means the "solvents or petroleum products" CAN go through it, not protect the PEX against them.

"Viega FostaPEX is a flexible yet ridgid solution for radiant heating or cooling applications" - I think this is irrelevant to my question. (Looking for a solution for underground potable water PEX pipe.)



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I don't want to argue, but I don't see the point in referring to the building department in this forum ("thank you very much" ). Otherwise we would not need this forum. Everybody knows that one can do that. Building officials may or may not be aware of all possible solutions and products for a problem. I am in the design phase and was trying to get an idea on how this can be done, maybe from someone who has it done before or has experience. If you don't know how it works and have no relevant input, please don't respond. Still hoping for a suggestion on a suitable pipe wrap for Uponor Aquapex that satisfies CA code. Thanks in advance.



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impermeable.

I assumed you were copying the text directly from the code source.

Basically you'd have to sleeve it in a material that is approved for potable water below a slab. Which makes it not practical. I was surprised when I first heard of this since I had just had a slab with pex below it signed off. I know it's in the 2013 California code. I just looked it up. I've gone back to copper in the slab and then transition above

Thanks, Hatplumb. According to the citation in my first message in this thread, I personally would not read it in a way that the sleeve has to be approved for potable water usage as sole carrier of supply water (as an alternative to PEX). That would be really stupid, mind me I think the only reasonable way to read it would be that the sleeve has to be approved for potable water as a sleeve (around PEX), OR any other material that is impermeable to solvents (and not specifically approved) can be used. The question is, which materials fulfil this requirement? Is there any guideline from those who created this piece of "code"? Does the product I cited fulfil the requirement?
Any others who got their underground
PEX approved in CA?



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Would PVC pipe or solid corrugated drain tubing work?

Generally trying to get an answer out of a building department is like trying to find free gas for your car

Use ABS pipe as the sleeve. Do it all the time in new construction here in LA county. At tge end of the sleeve that is outside use plumbers dynamite to seal the ends. Kind of like you would if you were running a gas line under a slab. It's actually pretty cool way of doing it because you can pull through a new pipe through the sleeve if you have a problem in the future

Is there any chance i could perhaps wrap the pex with plastic sleeve that used to sleeve copper pipe?