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Author Topic: running lines into the basement  (Read 4056 times)

juddspaintballs

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running lines into the basement
« on: February 07, 2010, 08:17:03 PM »

I would like to know the best way to get the lines to/from the OWB into my basement.  I'll be doing a DHW and forced air heat installation, and possibly heating a small detached garage too.  The way my house it built, it has a stone foundation from quartz rocks.  The house is about 135 years old.  I have an addition built onto the back of my house that only has a crawl space.  I want to put the OWB behind my house.  If I go straight to the house, I have to go under the crawlspace.  If I go toward the right side of the house, I'll run into my septic system.  If I go left, I'll have to be careful digging until I find my well lines and then cross over/under the well lines, which is no big deal.  However, if I go left, the left side of my house is also a crawlspace for about 15' into the house so I'd either have to go through that crawlspace or around to the front of the house. 

My thought was what I consider to be the easiest solution but I wasn't sure if it would work well.  I could run straight to the house in a trench, and then breech the addition's foundation (block) , dig inside the crawlspace until I get down to the hole in the foundation, and then run the lines to the "surface" inside the crawlspace.  The best part about this plan would be that I don't have to breech the basement wall as well, since the addition's crawlspace attaches to a bricked over window in the basement.  I was already planning on knocking out that bricked over window so I could add a furnace vent in that room. 

Would it be perfectly acceptable to run the OWB water lines underground until I make it into the crawlspace, and then bring them to the surface and into the basement through that window?  It was my understanding that the water lines are already insulated so being on the surface inside an unconditioned crawlspace shouldn't matter.  Any thoughts?
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willieG

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Re: running lines into the basement
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2010, 08:25:12 PM »

personally i dont think it would hurt. I have heard of a fella that hooked his OWB up in january  and just ran the insulated lines right over the frozen ground until spring came and he could dig them in after the frost came out of the ground. He had posted that the snow never melted off the outer covering of the lines.  even if you are above ground under the house..there will be some protection of the lines from the house itself. by going down under the ground and back up and then back down into the basement again you may have a bit of a struggle getting all the air out of the lines but once that is done..it is done. I see no reason for any concern. Perhaps others with more knowledge of the plumbing will have a concern and elaberate on it?
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home made OWB (2012)
Ontario Canada

juddspaintballs

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Re: running lines into the basement
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2010, 09:08:33 PM »

What would be the best way to get water out of those lines?
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willieG

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Re: running lines into the basement
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2010, 09:12:16 PM »

when i hooked my lines up to my OWB i included a fitting that i could hook the garden hose too and forced water through the system until all the air was purged.

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rosewood

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Re: running lines into the basement
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2010, 03:56:26 PM »

 i dont see any problems with that too, but where you come up into crawlspace area i would put insulated pex pipe in some kind of foam  box or sleeve it with hvac insulated duct for additional insulation seeing your losing the natural ground insulating temp of 50 to 55 deg at 5'. if your crawlspace never gets colder then 50 deg then dont bother with the extra  insulation.
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willieG

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Re: running lines into the basement
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2010, 04:28:39 PM »

my reply about air in the lines may have been hasty...if your pump is at the stove it should push the water through (i think) in my case i put the pump in the basement and thus I think that caused air locks in the undergroun lines. sorry if i miss lead  you
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home made OWB (2012)
Ontario Canada