Laying water pipes in an earthen trench

For year-round living in a private house, pipes are laid in earthen trenches, buried below the soil's freezing level.
If for some reason, the pipeline is laid above the level of soil freezing, it must be properly insulated. It should also be borne in mind that the freezing depth of different soil types is not the same.
When laying horizontal pipelines, it is necessary to maintain a slight slope; this is necessary to drain water from the pipes when the pipeline is turned off for repair.

Low-pressure polyethylene pipes with 25 or 32 mm diameter are most often used as water supply pipes.
Stages of laying a pipeline in the ground
- Excavate a trench with the help of equipment or by hand to a depth of about 1.5 meters (below the freezing of the soil) with a slight slope and a width of 0.3-0.5 meters.
- Level the bottom of the trench and clear of stones.
- Before laying pipes, it is necessary to sprinkle the bottom of the trench with sand, the so-called sand cushion, about 10 cm thick. This is done to avoid subsidence of the soil and if the bottom of the dug trench has a dense or hard layer.
- Lead the pipeline through the foundation of the house. To do this, you need to make a hole in the foundation of the house using a puncher.

Next, you need to seal the gaps in the foundation hole with a special solution that does not allow moisture to pass through.
- If the pipes are laid above the level of soil freezing. A special heating cable is used to protect the pipes from freezing.

The special heating cable requires a permanent electrical supply. It can be installed both inside the water pipe and on top of the water pipes.

Insulation of a section of pipes that can freeze is possible not only with a heating cable but also with special thermal insulation.

It should be noted that thermal insulation in conjunction with a heating cable gives the best protection against freezing of pipes in winter.
- In order to further isolate the pipe from soil subsidence and any possible mechanical influences, as well as for the possibility of replacement, it is recommended to lay the water supply pipe inside a sewer or corrugated pipe of a larger diameter (110 mm).
- After the piping has been laid, and it is necessary to carry out tests. To do this, connect the pump to the pipeline, check the tightness and integrity of the pipes, and also check the operation of the heating cable.
- The final step in laying the pipeline is backfilling the trench.