Mains water supply entering house in difficult place

[mdaread]

Hi all, we've been building extension on our house and I'm currently doing most of the internal stuff like insulating, drylining and plumbing. All gone pretty well so far, but as I'm a novice and trying to fit everything in around work and family (and running!), it's slow going

The problem I have at the moment is that the main water supply enters the house into what is now the kitchen, straight up through the concrete floor by a wall that is to be knocked through. This means that, once the wall is gone, it would be sticking up through the ground, in the middle of the floor. Had I been a bit more on the ball, I would have diverted it before we even put the floor slab in the new extension down, and had it enter the house a couple of feet across from where it does. Due to being a novice at this sort of stuff, I didn't do this however.

My first thought was just to create a channel in the old concrete floor and divert it at a right angle along that for aa short distance, where it can then come up again, vertically through the floor by a wall. However, this would mean having at least one joint that would need to be underground - something I'm guessing is best avoided. So, I'm a bit stumped as to the best solution. Will I just have to put a joint in and hope for the best? I'm used to using copper pipe with brass fittings, but would a proper soldered joint be best to use if I was forced to bury the joint? Anyone got any better ideas how I should do this? I'd be really grateful for any helpful tips from anybody more in the know than me. Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

Now would be a good time to lay a new supply pipe, in 25mm or 32mm plastic, right out to the pavement. It is much less likely to leak than your tired old pipe, and you will be amazed how good the flow is. It will enable you to have an unvented hot cylinder if you wish, which will give unsurpassed hot water, or will allow you run a big combi without the pressure and temperature fluctuating when other taps are run.

You will probably need to dig a trench. It can take a more convenient route than the old pipe.

 

[Newboy]

If it's possible to trace the supply pipe outside the building and bring it up in a new position then that would be the preferred route.

If you have to bury any fittings then they need to be soldered joints and the pipe needs to be protected from any corrosive effects of concrete/mortar etc.

Don't bury any compression/push-fit joints

 

[mdaread]

I do know where the pipe runs and it would be easy to do, but would it be OK to bring pipe up outside and then through the wall, into the house? I ask because of possibility of an outside bit of pipe above ground freezing. At the moment it enters house through floor, presumably to avoid such a risk?

 

[Madrab]

Nope, all mains water entering a building, should be encased in sealed ducting and enter underneath the outside wall to avoid freezing, damage and the ingress of pests etc, exactly as you describe. Bringing it up outside and then entering the building is not advised

If you read up on the water regs they will advise you of the required approach.

If using the current pipework then you would ideally be using soldered couplings and as others have mentioned, ensuring it's protected from corrosion, etc.

If you have the funds and time then new pipework would be the best all round approach but if you take this route then you need to follow and comply with water regs (pipe depths etc) and your supplier may wish to inspect the work.

 

[Newboy]

It is possible/permissible to bring the main up outside the building envelope using this type of product

http://groundbreaker.co.uk/products/insuduct/

 

[Madrab]

It is possible/permissible to bring the main up outside the building envelope using this type of product

http://groundbreaker.co.uk/products/insuduct/[/QUOTE]

Every day's a school day

 

[mdaread]

Thanks newboy, that could save me a lot of hassle. Looks like that's the way to go then.