boiler water line help!

What did your dad say Horkn? Sorry if I missed it if you posted it already. I wish I could run all new professionally made top of the line lines, but right now I can't, and I'm not going to dig it up to replace it with more garbage and be disappointed, just gotta figure out how to stretch this as much as I can for now

 

I may have to try this, just tape some bigger stuff that I can find around the pex and push another section in until I can no more, it has to be better than nothing right?

 

He said that you can use the same pex that you have. The pex really isn't the big factor, its the insulation. Running the pex inside of a conduit/ pipe and keeping the pex from hitting the conduit is the biggest deal, along with insulation. You could use the water pipe insulation as a method to prevent it from touching the conduit every few feet, but the water pipe insulation by itself just won't work.

 

Yea I'll have to see if I can push it through, pulling the pex out to push it back in with insulation is risky, because I'm pretty sure there's a 90 underground.
I know my biggest problem is the lack of insulation around the pex. Just gotta figure out how to get insulation around it with out ripping everything out of the ground

 

You're out of luck I think. Reread Gasifier & Coal Reaper. Anything short of digging it all up and replacing with good stuff (Logstor or Thermopex) will be throwing good money after bad. Quick temporary & effective for now would be buy the good stuff & lay it on the ground
for the winter.

 

I know you don't want to hear this, but you need to dig it up and do it right. I'd also be concerned about driving over that line if it is only 12" deep.

There is no easy solution here. If you want to cut down on your time without heat, dig a new trench parallel to the old one, install new lines, and backfill. Then you can make your connections whenever.

Yes, it does suck...but you won't ever regret fixing it right.

 

I know that's what needs to be done. I don't have cash laying around right now, been working ot as much as I can to pay down other debts hence the reason I'm looking for a temporary fix that doesn't make me bankrupt. I've known since I started this post that's what NEEDS to be done, without asking anyone, like I said about 6 times already I can't afford new line plus trenching plus losing a couple days dealing with it.

 

I would leave it alone until you have time to do it right. You can throw some time and money at it now, but you'll only see marginal improvement.

 

x2

 

x3

 

Maybe this will help.

Underground Insulated Pipe

 

And this.

 

nice to see they offer 1-1/4" PEX now. i might have some fittings laying around if anybody needs them.

 

I had the same problem with my pex. I dug it up and the corrugated housing was torn and let ground water penetrate and cool my pex lines. I bought Thermpex from Central Boiler and installed it. Problem solved.

 

My brother has a 100ft run and he looses about 1 degree. The stuff he used is sold by central boiler and is a semi rigid pipe filled completely with spray foam and the pex suspended in the middle. Pricey but very nice. I agree with everyone else-don't bother until you can afford to fix it correctly unless you consider digging a hobby.

 

Sad story. But timely, so here goes.
Monday morning at work, even before starting hours arrived, a fella walks in looking for help. Seems he has an OWB where the underground lines had a joint connection (WHY?) between his unit and the house. The joint leaks. Of course. It leaked enough where a pump failed (pump is designed to move water, not air; overheats then fails) and then without the pump moving the water, enough residual heat in the boiler caused the boiler to overheat the water. Water bubbles out the top vent, water level drops to below desired levels, stove warps and cracks. Obviously, something wrong with the damper where it should have sealed up during the "idle" period of the aquastat cycle, but it all reflects back to skimping on the underground. This will be the third time he replaces the underground lines. He has more patience than a lot of people I know.

 

Ouch! I weld for a living, you wouldn't believe what a little heat can move in the right spots, or how 10 times as much heat can do nothing to steel, I've straightened a LOT of parts with a torch, coupe cherry red dots on the radius of a tube followed by a quick quench can really make it move, you can actually watch the steel relax when you heat it and curl right back up when it cools. But enough about work
The previous owners cheaped out on the line, I would've put something a lot better in, may not have been top of the line(since I tend to learn the hard way sometimes) but it wouldn't have been what they chose, that's for sure, if I get time I'll probably buy a couple chunks of pipe insulation and push it through. The stuff is ridiculously cheap and it's worth a try even if it's not noticeable, I'll have a small chunk of my sanity back, just have to keep working OT till I can get caught up and with any luck, ahead!

 

Shaggy, this guy I spoke of is also a welder.
Getting back to the attempt of sliding pipe insulation onto the pex lines, I don't think you'll get too many pieces to slide into the void, but its worth a try, right?

 

Yea, I think last time I bought some I wrapped a few hot water lines in the basement for $15. Anything is better than what I've got now, hopefully Friday I can find a couple hours to figure it out, nice and easy project for a new years day cure