Running external pipe for outside tap?

[V8 Stang]

So i would like an outside tap out the front of the house. As i do a lot of mountain biking, its a right pain constantly trailing a hose pipe from the back to the driveway for washing down a muddy bike!

There is no water supply/pipes at the front of the house, but i can tee into some pipework by the corner (by the step).




My thoughts are to run the pipe on the external wall and lag it.

However i feel this needs to be isolated and drained when not in use over winter to prevent freezing and bursting?

My thoughts are to use a motorized valve like this (inside the house), powered by an alarm battery, and run a cable with the pipe and fit a switch by the tap for easy turn on/isolation.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07CWMRZXK/ref...


So firstly, am i over thinking the issue of freezing? And would a lagged pipe be fine from freezing. Or does this sound a good idea?

And would i be best with copper pipe and compression fittings, or would plastic and push fit be better in freezing temperatures?


Any thoughts on this?

Cheers

[hidetheelephants]

Run some MDPE pipe buried in what looks like a french drain by the wall, run it up out of the ground to a tap attached to one of the pedestrian gate posts.

[RGG]

V8 Stang said:

So i would like an outside tap out the front of the house. As i do a lot of mountain biking, its a right pain constantly trailing a hose pipe from the back to the driveway for washing down a muddy bike!

There is no water supply/pipes at the front of the house, but i can tee into some pipework by the corner (by the step).




My thoughts are to run the pipe on the external wall and lag it.

However i feel this needs to be isolated and drained when not in use over winter to prevent freezing and bursting?

My thoughts are to use a motorized valve like this (inside the house), powered by an alarm battery, and run a cable with the pipe and fit a switch by the tap for easy turn on/isolation.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07CWMRZXK/ref...


So firstly, am i over thinking the issue of freezing? And would a lagged pipe be fine from freezing. Or does this sound a good idea?

And would i be best with copper pipe and compression fittings, or would plastic and push fit be better in freezing temperatures?


Any thoughts on this?

Cheers

The freezing concern - belt and braces - just before the pipe exits through the wall, insert a a simple stop valve (£2) of any sort - to drain any water that is external and has a "potential" to freeze.

[Ipswich]

I had similar on my old house and the pipe did freeze and split at least once. First time was just after we’d moved into the house and had been away for a week. Came back with water spraying all over the house and garden but luckily we didn’t have a water meter at the time.

If you can, fit an internal isolator and a drain at the lowest section of the outside pipe. Also remember to isolate and drain it when it gets really cold!

[Pheo]

Just fit an isolator on the inside and drain it down before the cold weather. Or get a retractable hose and just run that out.

I ran one down a wall from the loft to a back garden once and just isolated and drained it every winter. Worked fine. So either will do.

[Simes205]

We’ve got one outside, it’s in front of the stopcock, I found this out when the tap failed and had to turn off at the meter.
However It’s never frozen, but I did box it in when we first moved here.

[thebraketester]

Use a sure stop valve inside and just leave the tap open when you've finished.

[ridds]

Pheo said:

Just fit an isolator on the inside and drain it down before the cold weather. Or get a retractable hose and just run that out.

I ran one down a wall from the loft to a back garden once and just isolated and drained it every winter. Worked fine. So either will do.

This. I also have an exposed pipe outside and just lock it off on the indoor isolator and open the outside tap when it gets close to freezing.

I also have a Hozelock Auto retracting hose reel. It's one of the best "outdoor" purchases I ever made. 15 years on and it still retracts as it should with no leaks.

[Simpo Two]

RGG said:

The freezing concern - belt and braces - just before the pipe exits through the wall, insert a a simple stop valve (£2) of any sort - to drain any water that is external and has a "potential" to freeze.

That's what I have. The only snag is that you can be caught out by a sudden freeze, or simply forget to close and drain.

Happily I used plastic push-fit connectors. This means that if the water in the pipe does freeze, the ice just pushes the joint/s apart - and you can push them back together afterwards. Much easier than repairing split copper pipe!

[AndyAudi]

thebraketester said:

Use a sure stop valve inside and just leave the tap open when you've finished.

Pipes burst cause the frozen liquid expands, if the tap is open, what’s in the pipe can expand

[LooneyTunes]

Simpo Two said:

That's what I have. The only snag is that you can be caught out by a sudden freeze, or simply forget to close and drain.

Happily I used plastic push-fit connectors. This means that if the water in the pipe does freeze, the ice just pushes the joint/s apart - and you can push them back together afterwards. Much easier than repairing split copper pipe!

It might be easier, but you can quickly lose vast quantities of water when it unfreezes.

Even a lagged pipe can freeze when it gets cold enough for long enough.

The best solution is either to:
1) drain down a bit when not needed. You don t need a drain valve inside: a basic stop tap will suffice if you then open the outside tap (and leave it open); or
2) add trace heating between the pipe and the insulation. That ll provide enough heat (thermostatically controlled) to stop it freezing. Handy if you want it available all year round.

ETA link: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Acce...

Edited by LooneyTunes on Wednesday 3rd December 08:29

[Jobbo]

I've had three pipes to outside taps freeze in my life - two of them were mostly inside but in an uninsulated area. So you're definitely not overthinking that part.

[dhutch]

Ipswich said:

I had similar on my old house and the pipe did freeze and split at least once.

Yeah, ours splits almost annually, because even when isolated st the supply and open at the tap, the main run is lower so holds water and freezes.

As said, bury some mdpe.

[AlexC1981]

Timely reminder that I need to turn off the indoor valve that feeds my outdoor tap, and open up the outdoor one.

[Dog Biscuit]

We went through this - the bursting is real, either they burst or they pop a joing (where the isolation tap fits) even when very well lagged.

Forget to drainat your peril - sometime the frost isnt expected or you simply forget

In the end we had ours run down from inside the house and just the taps (hot and cold) visible externally. Also with inline isolation valves fitted.

If its just for washing the bike off I'd get one of these instead of all the messing about and risk

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155023400310?mkevt=1&am...

[V8 Stang]

Thanks guys, so i was having a good look at this earlier, and might have a better solution.


Behind the garage is the downstairs toilet, so could drill through into garage run pipe (insulated) through the garage out straight out of the wall into a tap at the front.





The garage is the right hand wall. Pipe straight through wall into garage, a bit of boxing - with an isolation valve.



Toilet pipework, should be able to get a T onto this.


Whilst the garage is not heated, it will be insulated as its a new build and integrated into the house.


So do we think the pipe ran through the garage and insulated should be good from freezing?
Can always shut it off when really cold.

Thanks.

[Griffith4ever]

You won't need to insulate it in the garage. If its a direct wall mounted tap outside then you won't really need any insulation as only the tap will be outside. What we do is have a wooden cover we hang over the tap when not in use. still, its too easy to put an inline isolator in so do that of course, and shut it off if we get a freeze. But, the box cover covers you if you forget!

[ferret50]

Easier solution is to sell the bike and the lycra!

[Jobbo]

Griffith4ever said:

You won't need to insulate it in the garage.

That’s exactly where one of my pipes burst due to freezing - inside the unheated garage.

[Griffith4ever]

Jobbo said:

Griffith4ever said:

You won't need to insulate it in the garage.

That s exactly where one of my pipes burst due to freezing - inside the unheated garage.

Well I eat my hat then! - I've had water pipes in my garages for ever and a day and not had a burst.