Should I dig my water pipes underground?

Question

I live in Delaware, so it gets in the 20s sometimes in the winter. I'm planning to put plastic instead of existing copper lines.
The current configuration is very odd. The pipe goes underground and then up into the heater. But from the heater all pipes are exposed. I don't understand the point of burying one part and not the other. Any advice will be appreciated.

Answer 1

The earth underground maintains a temperature of around 45 to 50 degrees depending on where you are and how long a duration it is exposed to sub zero temperatures. If the are is heated by all means leave them exposed but its buried for a reason to capitalize on that 50 degree earth. Digging it down to below the frost line will keep it from freezing. Also you may wish to go with copper so you can apply Heat tape to keep it from freezing. Good Luck

Answer 2

Your saying you live in Delaware and it doesn't get below 20 degrees in the winter, hard to believe. I live in Southern Michigan and it sometimes gets ten below here. Look at the meridian on a map and see where you are in conjunction to Minnesota and Michigan: Wisconsin. O.K. I would assume you might get a cold winter some year and your frost line is going to go down to three or four feet. Do you want to dig this line up in the winter? in these temperatures? I think not.

I would put in Galvanized pipe underground, not plastic or copper, the plastic may and can rot or if the ground heaves, crack, the copper can, and will, corrode, mixing with the chemicals from the soil.

I wouldn't use a welder to thaw a copper line, it may melt the sweat fittings. Galvanized is the way to go and at least four feet. If you call the county I'm willing to bet they have a code for this and I'd bet it's four feet for the frost line, at least.

Answer 3

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