Change water pressure regulator and repipe by main water shutoff

daluu

My home has pressure regulator installed immediately right after main water shutoff. It appears defective on testing water pressure, with result > 80 PSI. Looks rusted with lime too? So if replacing it, just wanted to confirm that shutting off main water shutoff is good enough, or do you have to contact water service to stop service while changing out the regulator?

The piping by main water shutoff and regulator was extended with a T to branch into home with a secondary shutoff knob along with another branch that feeds into sprinkler system. Whoever did the sprinkler piping did crappy job to space it so close to incoming water supply line where regulator is. So as a result of changing regulator, assume to avoid damage and make better in future, perhaps redo part of the PVC sprinkler piping?

See reference photos

http://dlshare.s3.amazonaws.com/temp...atorPipes1.jpg
http://dlshare.s3.amazonaws.com/temp...atorPipes2.jpg

I was thinking of keeping the underground sprinkler pipes intact, and just branch out the visible PVC from being a straight vertical pipe to be a like an N shape (but diagonal line is horizontal, like a tetris piece) so that the top portion is spaced farther away to the right, to have room for future replacement of pressure regulator. That an acceptable piping redesign?

And I've never worked with PVC plumbing before, are the pipes permanently connected with adhesive or you can actually "unscrew" them to disconnect as they don't appear to have threads like metal piping? So would I need to cut the pipe in the middle with a pipe cutter (if can't otherwise dismantle PVC pipe) and branch from there? As a novice I am hoping to reconnect the PVC piping in new shape using Shark Bite parts so that they're easy to connect and disconnect.

TarheelTerp

Usually -but know where the next valve is too.
(at the meter by the curb -usually)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_P44FBxgMY
Now is as good a time as any to learn.
and NO.. don't use sharkbites.

They're great for a 2AM water is filling the basement repair...
but not for planned work.

daluu

Thanks for input. Is there anything sharkbites can be used for?

I've briefly worked with tubes and fittings for water filter under kitchen sink and once you fit tube through fitter (correctly) no water leaks. I assumed sharkbite would work the same way, if installed correctly.

So sharkbites are not water tight? Then funny they still in business?

daluu

Also, we're allowed to turn off at the curb meter? Or need notify water service?

biggles

might have to cut the PVC below that vertical line the only piece unscrewable is the PVC going into the galvinized T the rest is glued.keep in mind that regulator is female pipe on one end then union on the other..consider a couple of unions either PVC and or galvinized to make it able to be broken down if needed in the future

TarheelTerp

As said... they're great for that 2AM water is filling the basement emergency...
but for planned work most will consider them far too expensive a choice.
If you have money to blow maybe you should just hire it all out?

Good for you. You can also learn how to do DIY; (or not).
This time it's how to measure, cut, fit and glue PVC.
You can also learn to measure, cut, fit and sweat copper.

daluu

So where PVC is glued, can it be Unglued/removed? Or need to extend by cut & pipe in between as I had initially thought?

biggles

once PVC is glued it isn't going to come apart,might have to go with a new PVC valve there then build it up into the galvanized keep in mind a PVC union will allow you to break it down in the future...glueing everything without the union you'll be cutting stuff again...

daluu

Is a PVC union threaded?

biggles

i'm sure there is an animal like that HD/LOWES are limited on stuff like that...they'll have unions mostly glued types on the connections

daluu

FYI regarding the sharkbite topic, just noticed recently that part of the piping uses sharkbite but not the PVC portion for the sprinklers. Just a small segment between old pipes from main shutoff to new piping and 2ndary shutoff.

I didn't notice any leakage by the sharkbite connection as of yet, but the 2ndary shutoff was leaking/dripping when both it and the main shut off were turned off but the faucets in home were not turned on to clear out the water that was still present in the plumbing, switch the 2ndary back on and it would stop leaking. Guess some part of the 2ndary shutoff is worn.

Here's a reference pic:

http://dlshare.s3.amazonaws.com/temp/mainshutoff.jpg