Hi folks! I've got this old galvanized water line running between my house and the meter, and it's pretty rusted shut. I'm planning to replace it with some Uponor PEX A piping. I need to dig a trench about 50 feet long, and I'm thinking two people doing it by hand would be the way to go, especially since I have some tree roots nearby. I live in South Florida, so the trench only needs to be around 18 inches deep. How long do you guys think it would take us to get this done?
3 Answers
You might want to consider renting a trencher; it's around $75 and could save you a lot of time. I used to dig irrigation trenches around here decades ago, and you'd be surprised at how rocky the ground can be. Digging by hand might take longer than you think!
Make sure you're ready to repipe the same day. It's best to have the new pipe all cut to size and ready to go when you dig. That way, once you have the trench done, you can install it ASAP!
If you're set on digging by hand, I'd say be prepared for a few hours of hard work. That said, think carefully about the old galvanized line; using a trencher might actually risk it getting damaged. You might want to have everything prepped for repiping as soon as you’re done digging so you can minimize water shutoff time.
Thanks for the heads up! But how can I dig without messing up the old line?
Got it! Any tips on avoiding damage to the old galvanized line while digging?