I am replacing galvanized water supply pipes in a home built in 1918 in Northwest Florida where freeze concerns are minimal. The house was built on piers with a clearance of between six inches and a foot betwen soil and structure. The existing galvanized pipes were run across the dirt (sand) although some are underground in the vicinity of the outside walls. I’ve just completed replacement of the old drain/vent systems which involved a tremendous amount of hand dug trench work under the house just to access key locations. Those trenches provide access to locations where the Pex will be run and where it can be traditionally mounted, however, there are 2 or 3 sections averaging 12 feet each where I’ll be running Prex and no excavation work has been done. Can I run the Pex through PVC pipe laid on the ground as an alternative to digging trenches and mounting it traditionally? The composition of the soil here is sand so trenchwork has included installation of short retaining walls in key areas. Anything that I can do to minimize or eliminate digging will be much appreciated by my tired old body.
Pex should not be installed in direct contact with the earth. Protecting it with PVC is a good idea if you can seal the ends to prevent elements and rodents from setteling in.