Water Service Installation
When laying out Kitec coils stand the coil upright, hold down the leading end toward you and roll out the coil. Kitec will lay straight in the trench and will not recoil. Goose necks, bends and changes in direction are easily made by hand thanks to Kitec’s flexibility and light weight.
When installing municipal adapter fittings simply cut Kitec pipe square using the recommended cutter.
Remove the nut and split ring from the fitting and push them onto the pipe. Bevel the inside of the pipe by rotating the Kitec beveling tool 360o.
Push the insert style fitting fully home in the pipe. Bring the split ring and nut against the fitting and hand tighten. Using a wrench, turn the nut one complete turn past the hand tight point and the joint is finished.
Provide support for Kitec curb stops by placing a wooden or concrete block beneath the curb stop / box assembly prior to backfill.
If the building connection is not being made immediately, install a small 1 foot (300mm) Kitec stub beyond the stop on the building side prior to backfilling. This will support the stop and allow for valve operation prior to final hookup.
If Kitec service lines are used to blow off the distribution watermain during construction, temporarily extend the Kitec line beyond the stop and above grade. By directing water and air away from the curb stop trench, backfill materials remain undisturbed and the contractor can more easily determine if the curb stop is seated properly.
Kitec Service Line Repair
Kitec service lines can be repaired in the same way that traditional service tubing would be.
First crimp the pipe with locking pliers. Use a CO2 charge to freeze the section of Kitec. Cut, ream and install a Kitec coupler. Thaw the frozen pipe section and restore service line flow.
Thawing Kitec Service Lines
For short term thawing purposes, traditional steaming equipment can be used to thaw Kitec service lines. Steamers generating temperatures of 250 to 300oF and pressures of approximately 70psi have been successfully used to thaw Kitec service lines without damage to the pipe. Always thaw Kitec with care as long term exposure to steam at these temperature can cause damage to Kitec’s plastic layers.
Alternative thawing methods include hot water injection, electric blanket or heating cables. An open flame, torch or electric current should not be used to thaw Kitec pipe.