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Adding a water tap to the garden.

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  • 25-06-2020 10:53am
    #1
    alex_r
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭


    Hello,

    I am renting a house, and it doesn't have a water tap at the back. So for any water-related stuff, I have to run a hose form kitchen or carry buckets. Not ideal, to say the least.

    Are there any well-known solutions to run a water source to the back of the house, without wrecking the house?

    I thought maybe I could run a tap pipe from the roof's water tank along the house wall?
    Looks doable and with minimal damage


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    #2
    Mango Joe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,179 ✭✭✭Mango Joe


    I'm no expert so should mention that I'm 100% open to correction.

    The best way is to drill through back wall directly in beside kitchen sink main cold water pipe and take the feed from that. I think you can buy all the parts as a ready to go kit.

    Perhaps suggest to Landlord that you'll get it done cleanly and properly and he'll agree to pay some or all of the cost as after all his house is being improved.


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    #3
    alex_r
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭alex_r


    oh, I forgot to mention, the kitchen is on the other side of the house, unfortunately. Otherwise, yeah I'd just drill a hole and be done with it.


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    #4
    Tokyo
    Politics Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,655 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tokyo


    Where's the nearest water line inside the house? That's doing to be the deciding factor, ultimately.


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    #5
    alex_r
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭alex_r


    mike_ie wrote: »
    Where's the nearest water line inside the house? That's doing to be the deciding factor, ultimately.

    All sources far away from the garden. Kitchen is on the opposite side of the house, toiltet/bathroom first floor in the middle of the house, surrounded by bedrooms.
    The water tank on the roof in the only one I can think of. 

    Hence I thought maybe someone in here had this issue and solved it.


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    #6
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    Where does the water pipe from the supply out in the road/pavement run? I've a couple of garden taps on the supply as it comes up through the garden.

    Main reason I have them is because I had a couple of leaks and its was just as easy to put a T piece in the line as it was a joiner.


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    #7
    Pinoy adventure
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭Pinoy adventure


    Harvest the rain water if it's just for watering the plants


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    #8
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,493 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    Just to add. If you are planning on running a pipe out your kitchen wall. You should run it by your landlord first. It's his house you are renting.


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    #9
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,108 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    If there is a down-pipe from the gutter round the back get a kit and a barrel and catch rainwater, easiest and least intrusive solution. Even an open barrel will collect a surprising amount of water, from a gutter it will be full after a light shower.


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    #10
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,536 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    alex_r wrote: »
    All sources far away from the garden. Kitchen is on the opposite side of the house, toiltet/bathroom first floor in the middle of the house, surrounded by bedrooms.
    The water tank on the roof in the only one I can think of. 

    Hence I thought maybe someone in here had this issue and solved it.

    If it was me I would:
    1) Get permission.
    2) Tie up the ballcock so the water tank won't fill.
    3) Drain the tank.
    4) Cut the tank outlet pipe and install a T piece on it.
    5) Use the T to supply the garden pipe.
    6) Insulate the garden pipe to prevent freezing.

    This would be preferable to connecting directly to the tank as it would be harder to get a good connection to the tank.


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    #11
    chooseusername
    Registered Users Posts: 3,607 ✭✭✭chooseusername


    Turn off water ,
    tap into rising main in loft.


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    #12
    charlesanto
    Registered Users Posts: 714 ✭✭✭charlesanto


    NOT THIS ...
    2011 wrote: »
    If it was me I would:
    1) Get permission.
    2) Tie up the ballcock so the water tank won't fill.
    3) Drain the tank.
    4) Cut the tank outlet pipe and install a T piece on it.
    5) Use the T to supply the garden pipe.
    6) Insulate the garden pipe to prevent freezing.

    This would be preferable to connecting directly to the tank as it would be harder to get a good connection to the tank.

    YES TO THIS ...
    chooseusername wrote: »
    Turn off water ,
    tap into rising main in loft.

    You want mains pressure, not piddly pressure from the tank.


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    #13
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,536 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    charlesanto wrote: »
    NOT THIS ...

    Interesting, why?

    I would have thought it was better and normal practice to supply all taps except the kitchen sink cold tap from the tank in the attic.


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    #14
    Tokyo
    Politics Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,655 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tokyo


    2011 wrote: »
    Interesting, why?

    I would have thought it was better and normal practice to supply all taps except the kitchen sink cold tap from the tank in the attic.

    Long garden hose - far better chance of getting usable pressure from a direct mains connection than from a gravity fed tank.


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    #15
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,536 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    mike_ie wrote: »
    Long garden hose - far better chance of getting usable pressure from a direct mains connection than from a gravity fed tank.

    I see. Thanks.


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    #16
    astrofool
    Registered Users Posts: 16,464 ✭✭✭✭astrofool


    Added a second outside tap off the main line last year, difference is huge, old one only good for draining the system now.


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    #17
    alex_r
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭alex_r


    Thanks, everyone for ideas. From what I understood connecting directly to the tank in the attic is not a good idea due to low pressure. It is better to connect to the rising main pipe(I guess that's the one going to the tank from the mains to fill it up?).

    Anyhow, it looks doable and something I can approach my landlord with.


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    #18
    dodzy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,930 ✭✭✭dodzy


    alex_r wrote: »
    Thanks, everyone for ideas. From what I understood connecting directly to the tank in the attic is not a good idea due to low pressure. It is better to connect to the rising main pipe(I guess that's the one going to the tank from the mains to fill it up?).

    Anyhow, it looks doable and something I can approach my landlord with.

    Yes, connect to the rising main (T off the feed just before the ballcock)


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    #19
    alex_r
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭alex_r


    Are they are special valves I need to add to avoid backflow? Or that's shouldn't be an issue?


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    #20
    Doop
    Registered Users Posts: 1,466 ✭✭✭Doop


    Surly the easiest and least intrusive is a large 200 liter water butt? you can even connect one to another if you requirement is larger. You can also buy a water butt pump for around €70e which will allow you to connect a hose to it.


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    #21
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,415 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    If the kitchen is at the opposite end of the house to where you want the tap, then getting into the rising main is surely going to be a bit of a pox?

    Any pipework that's outside the house will need to be insulated, and the longer it is the worse it's going to look.


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    #22
    Vita nova
    Registered Users Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Vita nova


    alex_r wrote: »
    Are they are special valves I need to add to avoid backflow? Or that's shouldn't be an issue?
    You definitely need to insert a non-return value in line with your garden tap if you're connecting to the mains. Otherwise in low pressure conditions water can flow back through a garden hose into the mains water network and contaminate it.


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    #23
    fiacha
    Registered Users Posts: 782 ✭✭✭fiacha


    Collecting the rainwater is a viable option when you don't have easy access for mains plumbing.
    I also have a water barrel outside the back door that I tip grey water into. I tend to save that water for drought periods. Even if you only collect the "cleanest" of water from the wash basin, you'll fill a barrel in no time.

    If diverting water from the house downpipe, I'd recommend using one of the kits that has a service port / filter built in as some of them require you to disconnect the downpipe in order to clear blockages.

    If you have an exterior power socket nearby, you can stick a cheap water pump into the barrel for some decent pressure. i use a Lidl dirty water pump and it's perfect for watering the garden.


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    #24
    Cerco
    Registered Users Posts: 2,034 ✭✭✭Cerco


    alex_r wrote: »
    Are they are special valves I need to add to avoid backflow? Or that's shouldn't be an issue?

    Get a hose connection kit which includes a one way valve which you connect to the tap end. This will prevent backflow.


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