Without draining the water, connect the pipe to the pipe. Do-it-yourself tie-in to the water supply under pressure

It may well happen that an existing water supply urgently needs to be tapped, for example, to connect an additional appliance (washing machine or dishwasher) to the water supply, or if a new private house has been built, it is necessary to supply water to it, or the old supply is clogged and needs to be replaced . But it is not always possible to turn off the water. There is only one way out - do-it-yourself tie-in into the water supply under pressure.

The essence of the process

In order for intervention in the water supply, which is filled with pressurized water, to bring minimal damage, it is necessary to figure out what and how to do. Let's start with the pipe material. Modern water pipes are mounted from metal, plastic and metal-plastic pipes. Cast iron pipes are less common.

In order to cut into such a pipeline, it is necessary to make a hole in it. It goes without saying that a jet of water will immediately “escape” from it. Therefore, it is necessary to provide for how to quickly and reliably close this hole, but so that it will be possible to subsequently attach a continuation of the branch to it. In other words, after making a hole, stop valves are cut in with the possibility of attaching an additional pipe to it. Basically, tie-in to the water supply under pressure is carried out using special clamps. The design of these devices depends on the material of the pipe.

Insert technology

Consider from a practical point of view how to make a hole in a pipe with water. There are two general rules for tapping into a pipeline:

The pipe to be cut must be smaller in diameter than the pipe in which the hole is made.
The diameter of the drill must correspond to the internal diameter of the pipe being inserted, which, in turn, must be of a smaller diameter than the pipe of the main line.

Note! When performing tie-in work, all safety precautions must be observed.

If you need to cut into metal plumbing, you will have to use a saddle clamp for tapping with drilling. It is called a saddle clamp because its lower part is a semicircle that looks like a saddle. There are several types of such clamps. Before installing this device on a pipe, it must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and rust (if any). The clamp, in addition to the “saddle”, has a shut-off valve with a hole for drilling and a drill in the upper part. Both parts on the pipe are bolted to each other. The clamp fits snugly to the surface of the pipe with the help of sealing rubber bands. After fixing it with a drill, a hole is made until water appears. Then the drill is unscrewed and the plug is closed with a special screw so that water does not flow out of the pipe. In the future, such a clamp can be used as a shut-off valve. You can also use the clamp with the valve already screwed into it.

After the hole is ready, the drill is pulled out and the valve is closed. Now you can perform other plumbing work. You can also attach a special machine to a simple metal clamp, the main elements of which are a ratchet handle, a locking bolt, a shaft with a drill at the end, and a flushing tap. All this is enclosed in a metal case and is attached to the clamp with the help of sealing rubber bands. The guide sleeve allows drilling in a given direction. It is used to drill metal and cast iron pipes.

For drilling a cast-iron pipeline under pressure, bimetallic crowns and clamps of a special design are used. The nuance of working with cast iron is that:

work with light pressure. Cast iron is a brittle metal, it does not “work” well in compression and tension;
pre-clean the pipe surface from a special layer applied to the surface to prevent corrosion;
overheating of the crown should not be allowed;
work at low speeds.

If you want to cut into a plastic pipeline, then it is better to use an electric saddle clamp. It is made of special plastic, equipped with a heating coil and a drilling mechanism. There is a bar code on the seat body that allows you to accurately enter the necessary parameters: welding and cooling times, etc. The clamp is bolted to the pre-cleaned pipe. With the help of a special welding machine, the spiral is heated and the branch is welded (terminals for welding are provided on the clamp). Further, an hour after cooling, a hole is made with a special cutter and a shut-off valve is screwed on.

Metal-plastic is mainly used for distributing water around the house or apartment. Therefore, the diameter of the pipes is small. If there is no inlet valve and there is no way to shut off the water with the help of special services (housing office, water utility), then you will have to crash under pressure to supply water to an additional point. The use of clamps in this case is not advisable due to the small diameter of the pipe. How to make such a cut? Very simple. It is necessary to prepare a water tank, a floor cloth, a tool, a valve and special fasteners. The pipe is cut. The end from which water flows is lowered into a container of water. A nut, clamp is put on it. Then a valve is inserted into it in the open position, which is clamped with a nut. Then, by closing the tap, you can continue the installation.

Peculiarities

All the proposed methods of tapping into a pressure water supply require a certain qualification of experience and the availability of special tools. After all, it is necessary to act quickly in order to prevent a large leakage of water. If the tie-in occurs in the main pipeline, which is underground, then the water pressure is quite large and it is not very pleasant to take such a “shower” even in summer. Moreover, the work is carried out with a hand tool; for safety reasons, power tools are not used. In addition, if you independently perform a tie-in into the main pipeline, you will have to obtain permission from the water supply organization - the owner of the pipeline. And this is associated with a certain paperwork, a waste of time and nerves.

When it is necessary to cut into the supply pipeline in the middle of an apartment building, slowness will cause the lower floors to be flooded.

Of course, no one can forbid a man to do such work himself, but for this you need to have a set of certain tools. It doesn’t make much sense to buy them for one-time work: the tools are expensive, and after the tie-in they will just lie in the pantry or garage until the next case. Therefore, judge for yourself - how possible is an independent tie-in into the water supply under pressure. The decision, of course, is up to the person, but it is most reasonable to invite a specialist with experience in performing such work to perform such a tie-in.

Video

This video shows a tie-in into a polyethylene pipeline with a Poly16 Plus saddle with a cutter.

Often there is a need to expand the existing water supply system, which allows you to supplement the housing with new plumbing equipment or extend the circuit to other premises. The article will discuss how to insert into a water pipe, what rules must be observed, etc.

Coordination of work on tie-in to the water supply

Only with the permission of the relevant authorities, it is possible to start work on inserting an additional pipeline into the centralized water supply system. It is important to complete all the documentation before starting work. If all this is not done, then you can incur administrative and material liability for the illegality of your actions.

So, you need to start the tie-in procedure in order to get a plan for a specific site to determine the presence of various utilities laid underground. With this document, you can go to the water utility and make a statement about the desire to connect to the central water supply system. You must also have documents indicating the right to own a particular house or plot.

Technical parameters to be aware of when connecting:

strictly defined tie-in point;
diameter of the connected pipeline;
other information required in accordance with the purpose of the work performed.

Then you need to obtain permission from the sanitary and epidemiological service. With all of the above documents, you can begin to develop and sign the project and estimates for the work being done. Self-punching into a pipe without turning off the water supply is strictly prohibited, as is the installation of metering equipment. For these purposes, there are specialists who can be called from the appropriate public or certified private organization.

Tapping into the pipeline of the following types is also prohibited:

main networks of large diameters;
pipelines, subsequently not looped with the sewer drain;
other types.

Insertion Basics

The determining factor in choosing the method by which the tie-in will be made is the material used in the manufacture of the central pipeline. Usually it is plastic, metal, metal-plastic or less common cast iron. Naturally, a tie-in is impossible without making a hole of the appropriate diameter, which means that when it is created, water will flow from the pipeline. Only with the help of special clamp systems can everything be done with high quality.

A couple of basic rules for embedding:

The inner diameter of the pipe that will be connected to the larger pipeline must be equal to the diameter of the drill used.
The outer diameter of the pipe should be slightly smaller than the hole into which it will be inserted.

The type of plumbing affects how the tie-in will be made. Most often, we are talking about the use of welding and special clamps that allow operation without draining water in the system. Clamps are also needed in cases where cutting the line is not at all possible. When working with polyethylene pipes, welding machines cannot be used.

In the process of using welding, the water from the system will definitely have to be drained, and the inserted pipe must end with a coupling or thread for installing a root tap.

Insert sequence

The main device for carrying out the work will be a specialized drill that allows you to drill a hole of the desired diameter in a pipeline filled with water. By observing the safety precautions and the rules for working with the tool, you can achieve increased performance of this device.

Initially, you need to remove the insulating materials and clean the pipe in the place where the tie-in will be performed. Then you need to install a flange with an outlet to the main pipeline. It is fixed with a clamp. It is necessary to install our tool on the valve that closes the flange. If you are tapping into a steel pipe, then you need to use not a clamp, but a pre-welded pipe.

When work with the welding machine is completed, it is necessary to check the resulting seam for defects. If there are any, then you can once again walk along the contour of the seam to make it as reliable as possible.

When the coupling (pipe) is ready, you need to insert a cutter of a certain diameter and cut a hole for the pipe insert. Then the equipment is removed, and the valve blocks the flow of water in the coupling. When the embedded pipe is welded, the insulation and anti-corrosion coating can be restored. In this sequence, you can work with cast iron and metal pipes.

Existing types of clamps

Today, the construction market offers several types of clamps that can be used for tie-in:

clip- cannot be used when it comes to how to embed a tap into a pressurized pipe, but for a cleaned system it is ideal due to its simplicity of design and low cost. It can be found in both metal and plastic versions;
saddle- when working under pressure on asbestos-cement, metal or plastic pipelines, this type of clamp must be used. The flow of water will be blocked by a special locking plate;
drilling- as one of the structural elements of this product, a rotary valve mechanism is used, which remains on the pipe as shut-off or control valves;
electrofusion saddle clamp suitable for plastic pipes. Its package initially includes a cutter of the desired diameter. For its installation, you will have to use additional tools.

A polyethylene pipe is inserted into the water supply using clamps of the last two types.

Connection to the main pipeline

When working with a main pipeline, in which it is not possible to drain water, it is necessary to proceed as follows:

First, get to the tie-in area by digging a significant layer of soil.
Make a cut.
Completely mount the water supply circuit from the embedded element to plumbing fixtures or other objects.

Earthworks usually involve digging a pit 150x150 centimeters. It is important to make sure that the bottom of the pit is slightly lower than the pipe (about 50 centimeters). Work can be carried out with the help of an excavator, but no more than to a depth of 30-50 centimeters from the pipe itself, and then shovels are used. The location of the tie-in point in the well greatly simplifies the work.

When working with plastic pipelines, it is acceptable to use single saddle clamps or a combination such as a saddle-clip.

Polymeric materials are best processed using an electrofusion collapsible collar. Two parts of this design are mounted clearly at the tie-in, then soldered to the pipe. Such a connection has increased strength and absolute tightness.

The process is completed by diverting the side pipe from the clamp valve to the flow meter installed in the house.

Manhole above the tie-in

Naturally, the tie-in place should be controlled by the owner of the house / plot, because there is a risk of deformation of the connection, which will require prompt intervention. For these purposes, a special well (caisson) is created above the treated area. Work begins with the fact that the pit deepens by 50-70 centimeters. The created recess is covered with gravel by about 20 centimeters, then roofing material is rolled out on it and a concrete screed is poured with a layer of 10 centimeters. Be sure to reinforce this layer with a reinforcing mesh.

Concrete gains optimal strength (about 70%) in 3-4 days. Then a block shaft is built above the concrete slab. Usually we are talking about a round or square shape.

A cast plate is laid on top of the shaft on the neck part, in which a round hole is made. Subsequently, a hatch will be mounted in this place. The outer part of the shaft is coated with an insulating compound and covered with soil, which was previously selected from the pit.

For construction work with the installation of a well, much more time, effort and money are needed than with a tie-in through a water supply caisson. Getting to the underground part of the main canal is much more difficult.

Metal pipes and connections to them

If it comes to how to crash into a metal water pipe, then a saddle clamp with drilling comes to the aid of the worker. There are several structural variations of this element. Before installing it on the pipe, you need to clean the selected area from corrosion damage and various contaminants. In addition to the standard semicircle, which is available in each clamp, there is a shut-off valve in the upper part of the structure. A hole has been made in it through which drilling will be performed. A suitable drill bit is also provided. The placement of two parts of the structure on the pipe is carried out by fastening them with ordinary bolts.

A special machine assembled from the following elements can be installed on a metal clamp:

ratchet handle;
blocking bolt;
shaft with a drill;
flushing tap.

Each element is presented in a metal case connected to the device through rubber seals. The guide sleeve in the design allows for directional drilling.

Working with cast iron pipelines

Cast iron pipe under pressure can be drilled using special clamps with bimetallic crowns.

It is important to know the following features of this process:

cast iron is an extremely fragile material, which requires care from the worker;
before drilling the pipe, you need to clean it from the anti-corrosion coating;
it is unacceptable to overheat the crown on the collar;
equipment must be operated at low speed.

After the stripping is completed, it is necessary to install a collapsible type saddle in place of the tie-in. This place must be sealed with rubber pads. The pipe itself is drilled with a carbide crown, which cannot be replaced during the procedure.

The insertion sequence is as follows:

The pipe is excavated and cleaned in the right place.
The top layer of hardened cast iron is cut with a grinder.
A collapsible saddle is mounted. Sealing the joint between the fittings and the clamp is carried out by means of a rubber seal.
The shut-off valve is then attached to the flange outlet required for the insertion of the crown.
The pipe is drilled with constant cooling of the cutting area.
The crown is removed and the water is turned off with a valve.

We must not forget about observing the constant slope of the embedded pipe towards the house. It's about 2 degrees.

Plastic pipelines and tie-in features in them

It is very important to talk about how to properly crash into a plastic water pipe. It is possible to work with such a pipeline without pressure reduction if an electric-welded saddle clamp is used. This collar is made of heat-resistant plastic, and it is also equipped with a special heating coil and drill. In this way, the optimum temperature required for working with polymers is reached (read: ""). We are talking about pipelines, the pressure in which does not exceed 15.7 atmospheres. The clamp used in terms of strength and other characteristics is in many ways not inferior to the polymer pipes themselves. The product is resistant to corrosion and its service life can reach 50 years.

Insert sequence:

The pipe is being cleaned.
The clamp is fixed with bolts. This element has terminals through which the welding machine will be connected.
The welding machine heats the spiral, which will be welded to the branch.

Often a clamp is used, in which a cutter and a shut-off valve are initially built. The job is to attach a coupling to the pipeline, and then, after cooling, drill a hole by closing it with a shut-off valve.

Outcome

From the foregoing, several conclusions can be drawn. Only a professional can weld a pipe to a steel water pipe. The saddle can be installed on cast iron or polymer products with your own hands, but only when the water in the system is completely drained. When working under pressure, you must take into account all the rules and recommendations given in this article. It is best to entrust any of the methods to a specialist in order to eliminate possible risks.

Do you have plastic communication systems in your private house and do they need modernization or repair? It is not difficult to install plastic on your own, thanks to the features of this material, right? But how to crash into a plastic pipe if it is under pressure? And is it possible to do it yourself?

We will give you answers to your questions. Here are considered several ways to organize a branch from an existing highway. The tie-in options are provided with a detailed description of the process and supplemented with photos, which will allow you to understand the intricacies of the installation technology of cheap and durable plastic pipes.

Plastic pipelines are different. Some are used to supply water, others to divert it.

There are public highways, and there are personal intra-house and intra-apartment networks. And each option has its own nuances of work.

For tapping into a street pipe of a central water supply system or a village sewer, permission from the owner of the networks is required; it is prohibited to carry out such installation work without permission

In order to crash into a common centralized system and not get into trouble with the law, it is necessary to go through preliminary approvals. It is best to sign all the necessary papers and entrust the tie-in work to a specialized organization. This will greatly simplify life.

But no one bothers to crash into a plastic pipeline inside an apartment or a private house. You can do this almost anywhere. It is only necessary to follow the elementary rules and not overload the system with an abundance of plumbing devices.

The water pressure in the water supply must be sufficient for all appliances and all users. And the sewer pipe is able to accept only the volume of wastewater for which it was originally designed.

There are several types of plastic pipes:

"PP"- polypropylene;
"PE"- polyethylene (most often it is HDPE);
PVC» - polyvinyl chloride;
PEX- made of cross-linked polyethylene;
"PEX-AL-PEX"- metal-plastic.

The differences relate to the way they are connected to fittings and to each other in cases where an additional element is inserted into an existing pipeline.

In everyday life, plastic pipes are even more common today than metal pipes. The lightness of the material, its insensitivity to corrosion, ease of installation - all this makes plastic products the best option.

Therefore, the question - how to make a tie-in into a plastic pipe, is relevant for many home craftsmen.

The mechanism of the process is quite simple. To cut into the pipeline, you need to drill a hole in the required area. If we are talking about any main option - a water supply, sewerage system, where it is not possible to turn off the water, it is necessary to immediately solve the problem and shut off the water exactly at the working site.

That is, you need to achieve 2 goals at once: make a hole and shut off the water under pressure using some kind of locking mechanism. Moreover, the fittings should also provide for the possibility of mounting the next branch.

Tapping into a plastic sewer pipe or, conversely, attaching a branch to a cast-iron main pipe, requires compliance with 2 main rules:

the diameter of the pipe into which they crash is larger than the pipe that is mounted;
the diameter of the drill must exactly match the diameter of the cutting piece.

The design of such a device depends on the type of pipeline. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the scale of the work itself.

The main pipeline implies the supply of liquid under pressure, and it is very noticeable, which means the use of special equipment and special locking mechanisms. To get to the highway, you need to dig a trench, for which, as a rule, shovels are not enough, but you will need the services of an excavator. It is possible to carry out any work on connecting to the backbone systems only upon receipt of a special permit confirming the qualifications of the master. All this makes the possibility of self-tie-in into the highway an extremely costly and unprofitable occupation.

In domestic sewer and plumbing systems, you can really do the tie-in of a plastic pipe yourself, both in plastic and steel pipelines.

Technology of installation in a metal pipeline

Today, private houses and apartments are served by cast-iron and steel pipes. To install a new segment in them, special devices are used - clamps. The design of the latter may be different, and the rules for working with metal alloys are different.

Inserting into a steel pipeline with your own hands requires the following recommendations:

for work it is best to use a saddle clamp. Different types are used depending on the system - sewer, plumbing, heating. In addition to the saddle itself - the part adjacent to the pipe, the device includes a drill and a shut-off valve;
before installation, the surface of the pipeline is cleaned from rust and dirt;
the device is fixed with bolts, gaskets are used;
drill a hole and immediately install a shut-off valve;
close the valve, shutting off the water supply. Install special equipment for drilling holes for the pipe. The guide sleeve allows you to drill in the desired direction;
after that, the fitting or adapter is fixed and a new branch is connected. In the photo - the moment of installation.

Cast iron is more brittle than steel. The insertion of a plastic pipe into a cast iron pipe is carried out according to the same scheme, but subject to additional requirements: bimetallic crowns and special types of fixtures are used for drilling. It is important not to allow the bit to overheat and only run at low speeds. It is practically unrealistic to install a cast-iron pipeline on your own.

Tapping into a plastic pipe under pressure

This operation at the household level is quite easy to do with your own hands. The main plus of installation in the house is the ability to shut off the water supply. However, even in cases where this is not possible, the problem can be easily solved with the help of an electric-welded saddle clamp.

The saddles are equipped with a drilling mechanism, a heating coil and are made of special, more durable plastic.

There is a barcode on the saddles, the decoding of which provides complete information about the input parameters: welding time, cooling time, and so on.
The device is fixed with bolts.
Connect the welding machine and weld the bends.
An hour later, the plastic cools down during this time, holes are drilled with a special cutter and stop valves are installed. Then proceed to the installation of a plastic pipe.

The video demonstrates how to use saddles to tap into plastic pipes.

If you live in a house outside the city, then you need to equip the water supply to your home, and there are two solutions to this issue - get your own well or well, or connect to a centralized high-pressure water line. The first option is expensive, time-consuming and labor-intensive. The second solution will provide your house with water for one day, but you will be dependent on the water supply schedule (this happens in remote peripheral villages).

The positive moment that the tie-in to the water supply gives is that you will get stable pressure in the pipes, which will ensure the same stable operation of household appliances that require water supply - a washing machine, dishwasher, plumbing equipment - a bathtub, jacuzzi, shower or even a pool.

How to connect to a common water main

Before crashing into a water pipe under high fluid pressure, familiarize yourself with three technology options that vary depending on the material from which the pipes are made (they can be polymer (PP), cast iron, galvanized steel).

For a polymer central route, a tie-in into a pressure water pipe looks like this:

A trench no less than one and a half meters in size is excavated, the area where the work will be carried out is exposed, and a trench is being dug from it to the house;
At the end of the earthmoving work, a saddle is prepared for tapping into the water supply system - this is a collapsible crimp collar that looks like a tee. The straight outlets of the saddle are divided in half, and a valve is installed on the vertical outlet to shut off the pressure. A pipe is drilled through the tap with a special nozzle for tie-in. The most reliable saddle scheme is collapsible welded. It is easy to divide such a collar into two halves, assemble it over the tie-in section, and weld it to the main route. Thus, the clamp for tapping into the water supply is welded into the body, providing a reliable and absolutely hermetic water supply to the dwelling;
The pipe is drilled with a conventional drill and an electric drill. Instead of a drill, you can use a crown, but the result is important, not the tool;
A through hole is drilled until a jet of water comes out of it, after which the drill is removed and the valve is closed. For safety reasons, at the end of the drilling process, the electric tool is replaced with a hand drill or a brace. If you drill a hole not with a drill, but with a crown, then it will automatically ensure the tightness of the drilling site. In addition to these options, there is a solution using a special cutter, which is rotated with an adjustable wrench or an external brace;
The last stage of the tie-in to the central water supply is the establishment of your own water supply, laid in a trench in advance, and connecting it to the central route with an American compression coupling.

For complete control of the insertion point, it is advisable to equip a revision above it - a well with a hatch. The well is equipped as standard: a gravel-sand cushion is made at the bottom, reinforced concrete rings are lowered into the trench, or the walls are laid out with bricks. Thus, even in winter it will be possible to shut off the water supply if it is necessary to repair it in the house.

For a central water supply pipe made of cast iron, a saddle tie-in looks like this:

To tap into a cast-iron pipe, it must first be thoroughly cleaned of corrosion. At the very place of drilling, the top layer of cast iron is removed by a grinder by 1-1.5 mm;
The saddle is built into the pipeline in the same way as in the first paragraph, but to completely seal the joint between the pipe and the crimp, a rubber seal is laid;
At a further stage, a shut-off valve is attached to the clamp nozzle - a valve through which the cutting tool is inserted.
Next, the body of the cast iron pipe is drilled, and do not forget about the need to cool the cut site, as well as change the crowns in a timely manner.
A hole is drilled for tapping into the main water supply with a hard-alloy victorious or diamond crown;
The last step is the same: the crown is removed, the valve is closed, the insertion point is scalded with special electrodes.

A steel pipe is slightly more ductile than a cast-iron pipe, so the tie-in of pipes is carried out according to a technique similar to the solution with a polymer line, but the saddle is not used, and before making a tie-in into a galvanized steel water pipeline, the following steps are implemented:

The pipe is exposed and cleaned;
A branch pipe of the same material as the main pipe is immediately welded onto the pipe;
A shut-off valve is welded or screwed onto the pipe;
The body of the main pipe is drilled through the valve - first with an electric drill, the last millimeters - with a hand tool;
Connect your water supply to the valve and the pressurized tie-in is ready.

Insertion into the internal water supply in the yard

From the route that we cut into the central water supply, one or more branches can be made - for irrigation, for technical needs, for arranging a column in the yard. It is only necessary to observe the legality of the tie-in, and do it only after the counter.

Technologically, there are several differences between connecting to the central pipeline and connecting to the internal route, since for the internal line the pressure can be blocked by central shut-off valves. Therefore, the connection is carried out using a conventional plumbing tee, and the working operations will be as follows:

The main valve is turned on in the revision well, and the water from the internal water supply is drained through the last tap;
In the selected place, the pipe is cut with a grinder or a pipe cutter (depending on the pipe material), and a branch is made from this segment along the length of the tee;
Then you need to install the tee itself. For a polymer pipeline, this step looks the same as a standard electrical coupling cuts in - by soldering with a special welding unit. In addition to this option, press couplings or collets can be used. In an iron pipe, the tee is installed on the thread using a conventional drive. It is not recommended to use a welding machine, since ring welding is a complex process, and for this you need to have experience;
The last step - you cut a tap into the vertical branch of the tee, with which you can block the new water supply line. After that, you can use the water supply system by opening the valve on the central line.

A new water pipeline can be laid with the main and yard water supply turned on again, since the water will be blocked by a new shut-off valve on the internal tee.

Conclusion

It is not difficult to embed a pipe into a water main from any material, and you can do it yourself without paying for the work of specialists. Every self-respecting owner will find a tool, as well as a little bit of experience with plumbing fixtures. Moreover, it is possible to avoid welded, the most difficult work, if you work on cast iron or a polymer surface.

The only work that is not related to physical labor is the execution of documents for the tie-in, which must be issued by regional utilities and organizations.