Replies

1. 
   MarkH | Jan 24, 2010 05:41pm | #1

   Go below the frost-line and use a yard hydrant over a gravel filled pit if you want to use it all year.

   But you can go shallow if the system is drained and blown out in cold weather like sprinkler systems are. If the water is flowing down hill, you can just put a line drain in a box to empty the system.

1. 
   GregGibson | Jan 24, 2010 07:07pm | #2

   I'd have to agree with Mark,
   I'd have to agree with Mark, seeing that you're in New York. Here in sunny South Georgia, I have run water lines all over my property, just 6 to 10 inches deep, 3/4" PVC, and all is well. I love to be able to attach a hose out in the remote parts of my lot. Up there, you'd better get below the frost line, and use freeze-proof hose bibs.

   Greg

2. 
   Scott | Jan 24, 2010 07:32pm | #3

   What MarkH said.

   I too have run 3/4" black poly pipe all over the place and used yard hydrants.

   If your ground isn't full of boulders you can rent a trenching machine which makes quick work of it. If boulders are a problem, hire a backhoe with a trenching bucket.

   While you are at it, think about whether you could use electrical power at the site. Might as well only dig once.

3. 
   DanH | Jan 24, 2010 09:53pm | #4

   Main rule is that it should be below the frost line. This means it should exit your house below the frost line, and remain below the frost line until it gets to the other end. For a yard spigot you should use a "yard hydrant" that places the actual valve assembly underground, and this needs to be surrounded with gravel so that the water in the vertical part of the hydrant can drain out (through a weep hole) when not in use.

   I'm guessing the frost line is around 18" in your area, but you should ask the local building inspector, or someone else knowledgeable. [Oops!! I read your location as KY the first time, not NY. The frost line in most of NY is probably in the 24-30" range.)

   Where you can't practically remain below the frost line you must have facilities to allow the line to be shut off and drained in cold weather. Some people have success insulating the line, and/or adding electrical heat tape, but these are last-resort measures. (But placing, say, a 12" wide piece of 2" foam board about 6" above the pipe can be good insurance if the depth is a little iffy.)

   Inside your house, before the line exits, there should be a shutoff valve, and code may require a backflow valve (which isn't a dumb idea, even if not required by code).

4. 
   DaveRicheson | Jan 25, 2010 01:13pm | #5

   As others have detailed, a yard hydrant is what you need.

   One thing to note is that most yard hydrants are now required to have check valves in the supply line.

   As Dan pointed out, the actual valve is below ground and has a weep or drain hole in the riser. After the water is turned off the excess water in the riser drains out the hole and into the soil or a gravel pit. The placement of a check valve in the supply line is to prevent the possibillity of any of that weep water getting into you potable water supply lines.

   It is code in many areas, so a requirement, but not a bad idea even when it is note required.

5. 
   JTC1 | Jan 25, 2010 03:26pm | #6

   Not positive what the frost line depth in Kingston, NY.

   32" in Wilmington, DE, a few hundred miles to your south.

   Jim

   Edit: If these are not needed year round, I would tend to install "drainable" water lines and remember to close and drain before winter. Less digging......

6. 
   dude | Jan 26, 2010 02:01am | #7

   I have lines all over my yard

   some are at 48" others 24"

   they are 1" polyethylene csa (canadian standards association )

   i do not use most of them in the winter so i just let them freeze as they will though out in the spring

   the only one i use in the winter is for my horses and as long as it is covered by snow it dosent freeze however the last 10' has a heat tape wraped arouned it as it comes up to the water bowl which is in a 12" concrete pipe

   the pipes have been in over 20 years and i have had no trouble as long as i used the HD pipe

   in using frost free hydrants you must be sure that they are draining out the lower end or they will freeze and break the head as it is cast iron

   as others have said have a main shut off before line leaves the house & mark what it is at the valve

   i personally use only regular valves on my setup

   living in eastern ontario im farther north than you

7. 
   BigMish | Feb 16, 2010 08:58pm | #8

   This remote hose will only be used in warm weather (its for the garden) so it sounds like I can:

   • use a stop valve on the inside of the house (like http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xht/R-100197734/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)
   • run a line out of the house
   • run it to the back yard a few inches under grade
   • bring the line out of the ground and connect to a hose bib (like http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=hose+bibb&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)

   In the winter I’d close the stop valve. Do I have this right? Do I need some way to actually drain the line in the winter or is closing the stop valve enough?

1. 
   DanH | Feb 16, 2010 09:59pm | #9

   1) Use a quarter-turn lever-style ball valve for the stop valve.

   2) Either use a "waste" type valve (one with a little drain valve on it) or (better choice) put a tee in the line after the stop valve and put a second valve on the tee. Point the tee down (ideally) and have the second valve positioned so you can drain from it into a bucket to drain the line. Drain the line in the winter. (Not absolutely necessary to drain the line for most types of plastic line, but good insurance.)

   3) After the stop valve (and before the line exits the house) install a check valve. Probably code, and even if not, not a bad idea.

1. 
   BigMish | Feb 17, 2010 08:34am | #10

   Got it, thanks