# water service line



## johnh (Jul 6, 2013)

I have a customer in a nearby town that wants to relocate their water meter from one side of their basement to the other side. The water service comes in to the basement consisting of 3/4" k copper. I intend to tie 3/4" m copper into the k copper and go up across the ceiling and then back down to the new meter location. 

Bear in mind guys, I operate in a area that consists of 99 percent private water wells. Very few water meters and this town is 40 miles from my area.

The code as I remember it is all service piping before the meter must be hammer flared, brazed or ford type fittings. Has this code changed? I operate in michigan and go by international code. The reason I ask is anther plumber was going to install pex.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

I would atleast run L copper.

That being said, I now nothing about plumbing in Michigan with all your fancy basements with meters in them.

In my neck of the woods, meters are in the yard.


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## johnh (Jul 6, 2013)

I remember back in 1995 we had a cold winter and some service lines that were nearly 5 feet deep froze. I can't imagine water meters in the yard here. When I worked a bit in southeast tennessee the water meters were in a cute little box in the front yard. Pop the top off and use a crescent wrench to shut it off. Here we use a 6 foot or so key to shut off the water at the curb stop. Different mode for sure LOL.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

Our water service lines are required to be a minimum depth of 16 inches.


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## johnh (Jul 6, 2013)

Our code says below frostline. I have a copper rod about 7 foot long with a "duck bill" on the end. If a line freezes this is pushed onto the curb stop valve and a thawing machine is used to thaw the line out. I pretty much insist on k copper for underground service lines.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

johnh said:


> Our code says below frostline. I have a copper rod about 7 foot long with a "duck bill" on the end. If a line freezes this is pushed onto the curb stop valve and a thawing machine is used to thaw the line out. I pretty much insist on k copper for underground service lines.


That's a pretty good idea. Every now and then it's get's cold enough here to freeze a water service. Usually it's because the line is only 6 inches deep. Unfortunitly it is rare to see a copper water service here.


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## crown36 (May 21, 2013)

johnh said:


> I have a customer in a nearby town that wants to relocate their water meter from one side of their basement to the other side. The water service comes in to the basement consisting of 3/4" k copper. I intend to tie 3/4" m copper into the k copper and go up across the ceiling and then back down to the new meter location.
> 
> Bear in mind guys, I operate in a area that consists of 99 percent private water wells. Very few water meters and this town is 40 miles from my area.
> 
> The code as I remember it is all service piping before the meter must be hammer flared, brazed or ford type fittings. Has this code changed? I operate in michigan and go by international code. The reason I ask is anther plumber was going to install pex.


I am a Michigan Plumber. The Water Service line is almost always flared at the stop box (if using copper), but there is no requirement stating it must be flared or brazed. The water provider may have a say on the type of connection at the stop box. Any joints underground must be silver soldered. Your line is going to run to a full port shut off valve before you reach the meter anyways. Even if the other plumber wanted to run PEX, that would still be approved.

Use the Michigan Plumbing Code, not the IPC. The MPC is written from the IPC, but there are differences in the two.


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## incarnatopnh (Feb 1, 2011)

We could not do that here. K copper only before the meter. Meter must be set within 12" from where the service enters the basement. Mueller type compression or flare fitting only.


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## crown36 (May 21, 2013)

incarnatopnh said:


> We could not do that here. K copper only before the meter. Meter must be set within 12" from where the service enters the basement. Mueller type compression or flare fitting only.


We can even use L rigid copper if we chose. Would I? No. I use K, too.


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## Ghostmaker (Jan 12, 2013)

I would suggest you contact the water provider.


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