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I was so lucky to see Terry (and chat) at our 50th+2 high school reunion this last August. We've been FB friends and I've been following his struggle. RIP old chum.

I have an unusual house... on structural steel (stilts to a degree) so the belly of the house is accessible but without a conventional enclosed crawlspace (though one has to crawl where the new main comes in the house). All the new gear is in a two joist-bays that were then re-covered. Where the...

They removed the old outside vault that had a really awful, old (50 year) PRV system that had a total of 7 ninety-degree elbows (and all long-since buried under at least a foot of dirt/sand)! All that gear (PRV with shut-offs on both sides of it) was moved into joists of the house (in a...

JOB DONE, and it turned out very nice. They used a really interesting ($70K) machine on its own trailer for trenching: basically a huge pressure-washer and a gigantic vacuum cleaner! They literally sucked a trench where they wanted it (and rather quickly too). The pressure-washer blasted while...

I've got my guy picked out and the work is nearly scheduled. Here's his written description of the trenching portion: Excavation - Vacuum Excavation Vacuum excavation is a process of “digging” by means of employing a high pressure water jet nozzle that pulverizes the dirt into a slurry that...

I think the thing they'll use might be different. They do have a boring machine that they'll use for part of the job (consisting of a small stretch at the meter which is in the street), but I think the main trench is literally sucked into existence.

Yep... the "Uponor" (compression stuff) PEX. I guess this new trenching gizmo (can't recall the name) is a high-pressure water vacuum system that sort of sucks a trench into existence. I'm told it's quick and then they back-fill with something else.

OK, turns out that in Portland (Oregon) we can use the latest PEX (don't recall what type but type doesn't use those simple metal clamps) for direct burial underground... and run any sweeps through any sort of conduit (all inspected by the City). They'll trench using one of those blaster/vacuum...

I'm just intrigued that I've heard of PEX used for supply lines without any reference to being protected. I suppose I can always use copper (since my run is short). So, I guess I'll defer to the prevailing practices in my area... perhaps even confirm with the city.

I just read (in UPC 604) this footnote, and I'm not sure what to make of it. I suppose my local licensed plumber will know. Still, this strikes me as odd: "2 When PEX tubing is placed in soil and is used in potable water systems intended to supply drinking water to fixtures or appliances, the...

My thoughts exactly. By "sleeve" I'm referring to a conduit or chase that the PEX would go through simply to protect it.

Weird (from a not-in-the-trades guy). If a shield isn't even needed, then I don't see why it would matter if the surrounding pipe that was used to rated "potable." Odd. I'd only be looking to protect the PEX just a little.

I also just viewed a nice YouTube video where the crews covered/lined the entire supply with that standard foam insulation for pipes just to add some protection (not from freezing so much as from abrasion or future digging). Looked good.

Years ago, I assisted a friend bend one of those PVC electrical conduits. Can't remember the details but it might have involved filling it with sand and then heating it up to a bending point. That sort of method strikes me as something one could find on-line nowadays.

Excellent. I will definitely sleeve and minimize fittings. I recall on a previous house they required a tracer for gas, sewer and water lines (even color-coded)... though in Portland they may have waved that now. Still, it's so easy to do and I'll make a point of adding one.

Excellent idea (both that bender or electrical PVC as a conduit). The sweep of that bender looks right for my application. I've bend large PVC electrical conduit before. I was wondering if I should consider some sort of protection anyway, which would be easy and harmless to add. Thanks!

2.5 bathrooms (2200sf home - fairly modest really - but very modern for 1971). Wish we'd gone to the trouble to replace all drain-lines; many were re-done with ABS, but some were just too difficult to get to.

Thanks Terry... As you may suspect, I'm out of my element here and was going to defer to a plumber, but I like to go into these projects with a bit of education. Attached is a photo of some of the PEX that was used... and I have no idea what type it is (though maybe these clamps give that away)...

Curious really (and apologies if endlessly addressed before, though I looked): I plan to replace my water main from the meter at my property edge to inside the joists in the house. Most of the house has already had its piping replaced with PEX, but we never did the main line in to that PEX...

I decided to keep it simple (again, a guest shower) and do this. Thanks again! Works well. Fortunately, the cheap Moen unit is light weight.