Plumbing – bury PVC pipe if used outdoors

copperoutdoorplumbingpvc

I will be installing a hose spigot in a lower patio area that, till now, has had to have several lengths of hose to provide water for some potted plants. There is an existing spigot on a 3/4" copper pipe on the other side of the house a good 65-80' depending on the route I choose to take. I plan to tee off of it and then it will go one of two routes to the lower patio.

Digging a trench may not be an option due to rock and trees in the way so, it may be exposed to sun light, which would be a good reason to go copper but that could (will) get costly and be a lot more laborious then PVC.

If I do go the PVC route should I use the same diameter pipe as the copper service? Do I have to bury it? If I can't bury it, what are my options?

Best Answer

PVC does not need to be buried, however the advantages are:

  • Protection from impact breakage (schedule 40 PVC is relatively brittle and can break easily).
  • Protection from UV light (PVC like most plastics is affected by UV, this can be overcome by painting the pipe).
  • Protection from freezing, if buried below the frost line.

As for pipe size, it depends on the size of hose spigot you use. It will most likely be 1/2" or 3/4" (some come with both sizes). When dealing with different materials, use the same nominal pipe size (3/4" copper = 3/4" PVC).

Personally, I would look at using PEX pipe and bury where possible. The exposed pipe will be less susceptible to breakage than PVC. Also due to its flexibility, you can run it without the need for additional fittings. If you don't have PEX crimpers, you can use Sharkbite push-on fittings (the same fittings can be used to transition from copper to PEX).

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