Pex under concrete driveway

[Tjcole50]

Debating the boiler route. My ideal location would be next to the garage which requires runnimg my lines under the gravel driveway. Eventually we would like to concrete this section. I was thinking of useing a sleeve all the way to the house maybe sch 40 pvc all the way through foundation which if a line broke would also allow me to pull the entire section of pex through. Anyoen see anything wrong with this plan or any opinioms thanks

 

[hanniedog]

Seems reasonable to me. Corners might be a problem

 

[Tjcole50]

Yeah was thinking that too... but the sleeve would be nice to just pull through if a problem happens especially with future concrete. Any chance anyone knows the diameter of the insulated pex? Does the stuff flex enough to feed through 2 45 elbows on its way back toward the house? Rest of it would be a straight shot to the basement

 

[Four Paws]

If you are going through the expense to install, run at least schedule 80 pvc, not 40. Install it one size larger diameter than what you need.

 

[AIM]

Why would you need sched 80 pvc??? Sched 40 would do just fine... Honestly if your using the good logster type lines I wouldn't do anything but if you prefer. You'll likely need 6" and I would just run a straight shot under driveway and then direct bury the rest

 

[Tjcole50]

Probably would be fine by itself but the thought of pulling it through a sleeve for repairs or replacement just puts the mind at ease i guess

 

[lindnova]

Schedule 40 would be fine - I would recommend solid wall, not foam. Just get it large enough so you can actually get the carrier pipe through it.

I wouldn't use cheaper SDR 35 and thin wall sewer pipe.

 

[sw18x]

I installed logstor pipe in my former house a couple years ago. It's heavy duty stuff and does not flex much. You will not get it through 45 elbows, it needs a pretty wide radius to make a turn. I had to go under a pre existing sidewalk, then straight shot into the house through a cinder block foundation. I tunneled under the sidewalk, drilled some pilot holes in the blocks and chiseled out a wide enough hole without much of a problem. I also planned on using a PVC sleeve to protect the pipe as it went through the blocks, ended up using a formed piece of sheet metal instead. As it was, we had to anchor ratchet straps on rafters in the basement and ratchet the pipe through. We only got 3 or 4 feet into the basement, then tied into uninsulated pipe. I recommend just going into the house a few feet with the pipe, you don't want to have to drag it too far, it's bulky stuff to work with.

If you bury it a foot or two under the driveway concrete will not be a problem. There's no way you would compress the insulating foam enough to crush the pipe. Also if you go with logstor, forget about ever having to drag it through for repairs, you will never need to. The shell and foam is pretty tough stuff.

 

[Fred Wright]

PVC conduit will fit the bill. Pre-formed 90s and 45s are available to eliminate sharp bends. Determine the size you need by the tubing size; keep it below 70% fill.

You can heat the pipe with a heat gun and bend it yourself as well. Use an electrician's fish tape to pull the lines through the conduit.

Easy peasy.

 

[FishNJ]

PVC Electrical conduit comes in sweeping elbows to help with the bends. I think you can get sch40. Grey pvc.


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[NSMaple1]

I installed logstor pipe in my former house a couple years ago. It's heavy duty stuff and does not flex much. You will not get it through 45 elbows, it needs a pretty wide radius to make a turn. I had to go under a pre existing sidewalk, then straight shot into the house through a cinder block foundation. I tunneled under the sidewalk, drilled some pilot holes in the blocks and chiseled out a wide enough hole without much of a problem. I also planned on using a PVC sleeve to protect the pipe as it went through the blocks, ended up using a formed piece of sheet metal instead. As it was, we had to anchor ratchet straps on rafters in the basement and ratchet the pipe through. We only got 3 or 4 feet into the basement, then tied into uninsulated pipe. I recommend just going into the house a few feet with the pipe, you don't want to have to drag it too far, it's bulky stuff to work with.

If you bury it a foot or two under the driveway concrete will not be a problem. There's no way you would compress the insulating foam enough to crush the pipe. Also if you go with logstor, forget about ever having to drag it through for repairs, you will never need to. The shell and foam is pretty tough stuff.

This.

You want to get the underground piping done right. Which is, well insulated with closed cell foam. Which is done really well with Logstor or Thermopex. Which you won't pull through PVC.

It's possible to pull ordinary pex through - but then you'll be sending heat into the ground. Which I suppose if you don't mind sending heat into the ground, might not be that big a deal. But I suspect even pulling ordinary 1" pex through PVC would be a bit of a challenge - and 1" might be a bit on the small side, depending on the run & heatload & everything else.

 

[Tjcole50]

Ok so possibly scratch that... so the quality stuff will handle the under the driveway and future concrete?

 

[AIM]

Well think about this. There are thousands of miles of black flex pipe buried throughout fields all over the country that farmers drive tractors over with no problem. The logster type pipe (I assume your using that) is even further reinforced with foam and 2 pex lines. It'll be fine.

 

[Landmark]

I used thermopex on mine and would do it again. you will never have a problem with it but it is bulky and won't make a sharp turn at all. needs room to sweep. Awesome insulator for my boiler and as stated above, when I got it in the basement I went to non insulated pex. Thermo is a little expensive but you get what you pay for. if you run pex with regular pipe insulation in pvc pipe or similar set up, it is not as efficient. Take time, spend the money and do it right, and you will not regret it. JMO

 

[cantoo]

I wanna see the video of someone pulling logstor or thermopex into any kind of pipe. I used a tractor to move mine around. Bends, yeah right.

 

[Landmark]

I wanna see the video of someone pulling logstor or thermopex into any kind of pipe. I used a tractor to move mine around. Bends, yeah right.

Yeah it wont pull threw pipe and will barely bend. Mean stuff for sure but works awesome

 

[AKDoug]

Ok so possibly scratch that... so the quality stuff will handle the under the driveway and future concrete?

Absolutely will work. I have a section buried under a portion of my lumber yard that we regularly run over with 15,000# forklift...all day, every day. It is 4' down, though.

 

[brenndatomu]

Just run it through a culvert pipe under the drive, that way you can pull the line in the future if ya need to without disturbing the concrete. Options, I like options.
Do whatever you want with the remainder, direct bury, whatever.
Edit: Run it in the concrete...ice/snow melt!

 

[Johnny Yooper]

if you bury pvc pipe and then pull the pex through that, wonder how you'd insulate the pex? Quality insulation of the lines is arguably the most critical part of an OWB install. It's not a matter of IF the pvc breaks over time, but WHEN. And once ground water contacts the pex, you're giving your hard earned Btu's away to Mother Earth. I installed a 135' run of Thermopex a few years ago, bending radius stinks, but it's fantastic stuff, less than 1 degree F difference from boiler output to inside my basement wall; I did encase the Thermopex in 6" flexible drain tile just for extra mechanical protection and eliminate direct contact with the earth (ground water), yep, overkill, but I'll never trench it again. Those guys who talk Logstor or Thermopex are spot on, period.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

When I set up mine the main feed line to the house had to run under the 36' x 50' garage floor and some of the driveway. I used field tile and used the "Hi-Q" version. This is basically double wall and what they use for driveways and such. It is a smooth bore and it makes any repairs or changes a breeze. I went through the foundation wall as well.

Here you can see that. I ran 2 ropes while I laid the line and left a spare in there incase something else needed to be pulled if I wasn't changing the main line.

I was extra careful and ran a 4 inch drain tile under this line to wick any water away. covered it and most of the pull line with pea gravel. No problems and works great after close to 15 years now.

Line runs to the furnace house.

Did a monolythic pour for the floor.

I can get 18 1/2 cord in there.

This was installed before the current pipeing systems and this was the insulation system used at that time. Here you can see it coming into the basement. Orange pex lines are the in/out for the infloor heat in the garage.

This is the one part of your install where I would HIGHLY suggest not to go cheap on. I had a buddy who did and he ended up heating a lot of ground water and had to do it all over again. Do it right...do it once.