Underground insulated thermal pipe?

Harvey Ramer

What is the product to buy these days? I prefer something that doesn't break the bank, gives a reasonable r-value and doesn't become saturated. I have a couple bends to go around so I don't know if something like Insul-Seal would work good. I got prices from Rovanco and Ecoflex. Rovanco is very spendy and the Uponor Rep for Ecoflex won't order a cut roll.

Anybody have any suggestions?

icesailor

How much do you need and what size?

Harvey Ramer

200' that would be 2 1-1/4" carrier pipes in one insulated package.

hot_rod

I think Watts Radiant will cut to length, they have large sizes and

Harvey Ramer

I wish manufacture's would give us the option of buying direct, the products that our local Reps and wholesalers don't stock.

icesailor

200' or 100' isn't a length that they wouldn't cut or provide. The real issue is transportation and the weight.

You must have talked to the wrong people. Where I worked, I saw special orders for what all the time.

If you get it in 1 1/4 pipe, I hope that you have a lot of Men's to hold it down. It has a mind of its own. I know someone with a coil if 1" that he bought and it was too small for what he wanted it for.

Harvey Ramer

Simply put, the Uponor Rep in my area aren't doing their job. Pretty much all the wholesalers dropped them because they are so miserable to deal with.

As far as getting the pipe in, I plan on letting it in a heated space till i'm ready to install it. That should make it a little more pliable.

SWEI

Both Uponor and Watts use expanded PEX insulation, which is a far better choice than urethane for damp or wet soil.

Harvey Ramer

SWEI said:

Both Uponor and Watts use expanded PEX insulation, which is a far better choice than urethane for damp or wet soil.

I have heard the same thing. I read some Thermopex horror stories where the urethane insulation got completely saturated. This I do not want!

icesailor

Harvey Ramer said:

Simply put, the Uponor Rep in my area aren't doing their job. Pretty much all the wholesalers dropped them because they are so miserable to deal with.

As far as getting the pipe in, I plan on letting it in a heated space till i'm ready to install it. That should make it a little more pliable.

Tell your wholesaler to call a rep in another area and have it delivered. If you think that the other rep won't fall over themselves for the commission, you're wrong. They'll do anything for money.

I had a Banker friend, the President of the bank I used. The smallest Federal Bank in the country. He was at a ABA convention in Atlanta years ago. Someone interviewed him for an article for the ABA journal. They asked him what it was like to be a small town banker that was the smallest bank in the Federal system.

He replied:

Banking is the second oldest profession in the world. And like the oldest, if you don't provide the services that people want on a Saturday Night, they'll take their business elsewhere.

The comment was printed.

Ironman

@Harvey Ramer
Harvey,
I just saw this post, so maybe I'm too late, but I have Rehau's underground piping in 1" & 1.25" and can cut it in five foot increments.
If I'm not mistaken, you're in Chambersburg which is about three hours from me (Staunton, VA). Might be able too work something out if you want to avoid shipping.

P/m me if I can help.

Harvey Ramer

@Ironman
Thanks Bob, I believe I have this one covered as it is already out on contract. I will keep that in mind for the future though. I need this pipe from time to time and it's generally not really easy to come by the good stuff.

Thanks!

Rich_49

Whenever you need this type of stuff and run into a bad Rep Agency contact me Harvey . I can get you Uponor among others at direct ship rates . We can work out the details for payment should the need ever arise again .