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Author:
gbonawitz (PA)
So I went to repressurize my basement outdoor faucet now that it's spring, and lo and behold I have a cracked PVC pipe in the same location that I had to fix two years ago. This after disconnecting the hose last year, opening the faucet to drain water, and closing the shutoff valve inside my basement (near where the main line lines in).
The crack is in a vertical section of pipe that comes down from the ceiling before doing a 90 turn and going outside. There is insulation in the wall, but it was was pretty cold for a long period of time last winter and since we don't spend a lot of time in the basement we don't keep the heat there at the same temp as the rest of the house.
In trying to diagnose why I'm getting the same problem as I saw before, I read a posting that mentioned water in the pipe may not completely draining out due to a vacuum condition when I close the shutoff value near the main (kind of like dipping a straw into a cup of water, putting your finger over the top, and then lifting the straw out (water will remain in the straw)). Does that make sense?
I'm wondering if I should put some of additional coupling downstream of the shutoff value to which I can hook up an air compressor and blow some air in the lines when I winterize - like my neighbors do when they winterize their pools. Does that make sense or are there better solutions?
Thanks in advance.
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Author:
North Carolina Plumber (NC)
What brand outside faucet are you using ? It does take a bit of air pressure to completely remove all of the water from some brands of faucets.
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
What about adding a boiler drain inside somewhere to drain the line adequately? I would also change the pipe material to anything except cpvc.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
If you can put a connection inside at a high point of the line, you will NOT need to use an air compressor. Just open the connection and let air into the pipe.
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
DITTO
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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Author:
gbonawitz (PA)
Thanks for all of the responses!
Putting in a connection at a high point (relative to the faucet) downstream of the shutoff valve is definitely doable. Is there any special kind of value for this purpose, or do I just put a tee into the existing line and install a ball valve (with no connection on the other side - just have that open to the air) coming off of the new branch from the tee?
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
packy (MA)
no special valve.. just use whatever fits and is affordable.
if you want to get fancy, install a tee with a threaded port and screw in a watts N36 vacuum relief. it will open when there is no pressure.
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Author:
gbonawitz (PA)
Thank you!
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
george 7941 (Canada)
If you had left the outside hose bibb open AND your inside shut-off is shutting the water off completely and not leaking, I doubt your line would have burst. It would have to be a really convoluted run of piping for the vacuum not to break over the course of a few days.
If the shut-off is leaking, you could end up with another burst pipe next winter even after install a fitting to drain the line.
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
Unless it is an open boiler drain next to the basement shutoff.
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Author:
gbonawitz (PA)
It's not a boiler drain - it's just a run from where the main line comes into the house that goes along 1 partial wall, the entire length of another wall, and then down the third wall into a 90 and out the foundation.
I understand that putting in another valve is potentially another leak point but I can't think of another reason that this vertical section of pipe keeps cracking over the winter after I've drained it.
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
Adding a boiler drain in the basement on the line would guarantee that the water is gone if you shut off the water, open the boiler drain, and open the outside faucet until spring. Never again would you be saying " lo and behold I have a cracked PVC pipe in the same location that I had to fix two years ago"
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Author:
gbonawitz (PA)
KCRoto-
I ask this question admitting my ignorance up front: when you suggest adding a boiler drain, is that any different than my idea earlier of just adding a tee in-line (and downstream from) the shut-off value and having a ball value coming off the new branch that's just exposed to air?
If it's not that, then I can't picture your solution of using a boiler drain. Can you please elaborate?
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
Same idea, but the boiler drains are generally cheaper.
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