Stop Wast Valve

racer808

Hey everyone, new to the site, found it looking up a problem. My stop waste valve to my sprinkler system is broken, not leaking but whoever had the house before me cranked it till it froze up then broke it trying to un-turn it.

I have dug about 2 to 2.5 feet down & I have hit such hard clay & rock that I am not sure I can get through this. I do know the best way is to keep digging & replace that valve but I am curious if this would be a viable option:

Intercept the copper line I see running into I think the back flow & splicing it 24" or a bit less below grade, putting a valve there & then installing another box so I have access to that valve? I was also considering putting some heat trace tape there keep it from freezing. Other than that I am not sure how to get deeper. I hired a guy off craigslist to dig but with the hard soils of Colorado (Denver metro area) It seems impossible to get any further without getting a machine but that does not sound viable at the moment. Any ideas??

burnt03

How much deeper do you have to go? How cold does it get there in the winter?

If it were me, I'd dig it all the way down, remove the old valve and replace with new. Even if you have to rent a machine, it's worth it to not have to worry about:
1) leaks from the old valve connections in the future
2) the heat tape failing, water line freezing and bursting in subzero weather
3) paying for the electric bill

racer808

I am in Denver CO, I have about two feet left to go, may have to rent a jack hammer and keep going

plumberinlaw

How about a digging bar?