Fitting INSUduct - cut through footings?

[goldeagle]

I am in the process of replacing the lead water main coming into my house (built in 1900) with a 25mm MDPE pipe. The trench is dug to the required depth and just need to bring the new pipe into the house.

As I didn't want to dig up the original tiled floor inside, I decided to bring the pipe in above ground level using an INSUduct - basically a proprietary insulated duct that meets waste regs for protecting a water pipe from freezing above ground.

The problem I have is that the INSUduct is designed to fit flush against the wall below ground level, which is fine for newer homes where the brick work is vertical all the wall down to the concrete footings. The brick work on my house gradually steps out immediately below ground level - a bit difficult to see in this photo (doesn't help that the photo is sideways):

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• goldeagle
• 10 Feb 2015
• 1

So I have a few options: install the duct at an angle like this (again sideways photo), which will still need a bit of cement put behind to plug the gap. Main concern is that any rain falling will drain towards the house.

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• goldeagle
• 10 Feb 2015
• 1

Or install it vertical but will need to build out about 120mm depth of concrete backing to provide a solid mounting between the duct and house:

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• goldeagle
• 10 Feb 2015
• 1

Or final option would be to use an angle grinder and cut down the face of the footings for the width of the duct, to provide a flush vertical surface. This would be the best option in terms of getting a flush finish against the house. But not entirely keen cutting through the stepped out footings, even though it would only be a 30cm width.

Any opinions on the best option?

 

[noseall]

Any opinions on the best option?

Yeah, dig the floor up. That lot looks ugly and a right faff.

 

[goldeagle]

Another less than useless reply from noseall...

Anyone with useful opinions on the options in my post (digging up the floor not being one of them) would be much appreciated

 

[kazuya]

cant you cut the duct?

 

[goldeagle]

Don't think cutting it would really be feasible - as the duct as a whole meets the water regs for preventing freezing, I would have thought any modification to the duct could invalidate it.

Went ahead with a combination of the first two options - built it out with some cement to give a flat finish, and also installed it slightly on a slant. It's all been inspected and passed now, so the water board didn't have a problem with it. Just have to wait now to get the new pipe connected to the mains - which could take a while as they want to close the road off to dig it up and replace the lead all the way back to the main pipe.

In case anyone else ever has a similar problem and is looking for a solution, some pics below of what I did.

Cement backing, used a bit of DPM to try and avoid damp bridging the original DPM in the stonework.

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• goldeagle
• 21 Feb 2015
• 1

Duct backplate fitted to the wall - used extra long self tapping masonry screws instead of the supplied small screws, to ensure the fixings went all the way through to the wall.

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• goldeagle
• 21 Feb 2015
• 1

Insulation and 'hockey stick' pipe inserted through the duct and wall.

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• goldeagle
• 21 Feb 2015
• 1

Cover on, view from the side - not ideal but shouldn't cause any issues.

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• goldeagle
• 21 Feb 2015
• 1

Backfilled with sand to cover the pipe, ready to be filled in

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• goldeagle
• 21 Feb 2015
• 1

 

[noseall]

Another less than useless reply from noseall...

Have there been others....

 

[Newboy]

Wouldn't "less than useless" mean useful

 

[goldeagle]

less than useless -----> useless -----> useful -----> more than useful

So no, less than useless doesn't mean useful

 

[noseall]

Wouldn't "less than useless" mean useful

Good point.

If useless was top of the tree then less useless would be leaning towards useful, innit.

Thanks Baldeagle.

 

[goldeagle]

Thanks Baldeagle.

You're welcome blowsall