Dirt In Valve Standpipe.....

Scott-in-Idaho · Jun 30, 2016

Howdy All.

Had a witch out and found the water shut-off for barn/shop water, but its 3-4 feet long, buried to the top and full of dirt. Don't have a way to get to it with compresser except pancake, 1" pipe so shop vac won't fit and really don't want to try to blast it with water cause there might be rocks and if I soak it it'll be full of mud till next spring. Any ideas? gonna put on an extension and cap it.

showcrop · Jun 30, 2016

Short of digging it out how about bushing a shop vac down to something like 5/8 or 1/2 inch?

TimV · Jun 30, 2016

Got any old auger bits like were used in bit braces? I've used them in the past to clean out pipes--the drill point will pull it in and loosen up the debris, and the auger will bring it to the surface. At a minimum, it will often loosen it up enough to be sucked or blown out. You might have to add an extension, and it's not a job for a good bit, but I've got dozens picked up for a few cents apiece from people who have no use for them anymore.

Greg K · Jun 30, 2016

Duct tape a shop vac down to garden hose
size. I would use water to soften it up.
They now use sewage vacuum trucks and hoses
to excavate around fiber optic lines and
other sensitive areas.

3000OH · Jun 30, 2016

I know it doesn't fit your specs, but I'd be tempted to find someone with a pressure washer and buy them an extension wand and a couple of tips if they'll help you. I didn't say you'd stay clean doing it this way....

craigco · Jul 1, 2016

If it's packed with dirt your best bet
is to dig it up. If it's just on inch
pipe it will be tough to get a valve
key on it to shut it off if needed.
Especially if it has been hit and is
off center. Smallest valve boxes we use
at work are probably about 2" and it's
a challenge to keep them straight to be
able to use them.

WGM · Jul 1, 2016

It's called hydro-excavating

Scott-in-Idaho · Jul 2, 2016

Well, Thanks Guys!

With your input, I'm gonna try to hit it three ways. First duct tape a 4' section of garden hose to the end of my shop vac and suck it out, keeping a drill with extensions and a old spade bit handy for things that get stuck in the pipe. after getting close to the valve, gonna fire up the power washer with single stream tip and blast the rest out. Gonna be messy, but hopefully only gonna do it once!

Scott

showcrop · Jul 3, 2016

(quoted from post at 21:41:33 07/02/16) Well, Thanks Guys!

With your input, I'm gonna try to hit it three ways. First duct tape a 4' section of garden hose to the end of my shop vac and suck it out, keeping a drill with extensions and a old spade bit handy for things that get stuck in the pipe. after getting close to the valve, gonna fire up the power washer with single stream tip and blast the rest out. Gonna be messy, but hopefully only gonna do it once!

Scott

Sounds like a plan, good luck

Charles in Aus. · Jul 3, 2016

This might work ; do you have a hand auger ? The sort used for small fence posts . One would fit over the standpipe and the frame of the auger should allow the existing pipe up through it as you bored down . It wouldn't take long to get to depth , then the pipe could be swapped over for something you could get a decent rod down .

Dirt In Valve Standpipe.....

Scott-in-Idaho

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showcrop

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TimV

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Greg K

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3000OH

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craigco

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Scott-in-Idaho

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showcrop

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