permaculture

[Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>]

> >The plumber suggest putting the
> > water pipes 5 feet below ground to avoid any freezing.
>
> Put a strip of rigid foam insulation above them in their trenches and
> you can probably just put them a foot or two down - same concept as the
> FPSF, creating a little strip of earth under the insulation sheltered
> from air and sky (radiation heat loss) temps.

Folks,
I agree with everything but this.  If this is a critical water line I would 
bury it good and deep.  The winters seem to get goofyer all the time and 
snow cover that gives some insolation has gotten less reliable.  For this 
reason alone I think sticking with proven depths is more critical these 
days.  I have been forced to try the foam due to rock in the past and have 
frozen up the lines.



Mark P. Ludwig
Poultry Research Lab
University of Wisconsin -Madison
608-262-1730 WK
608-846-7125 HM