Water line in outside wall, basement

[Kim473]

I know its not a good idea to install a water line in an outside wall but would like to ask the knowledgable people here if it can be done and what should be done to prevent freezing. The way my bathroom is set up now, the line is not in the outside wall. I would like to change the shower and the one I would like to install would require me to install the lines there. Is this possible and what would I need to do other than to keep the line closer to the warm side of the wall. Can this be done?

[CaberTosser]

Why create an issue when none exists? If one is to do it and there is no talking them out of it, the insulation and vapor barrier should be behind it, preference goes to sheet foam or spray foam. One could also sacrifice a couple of inches and build a secondary wall on the warm side of the outside wall for the mechanical, preference would be to allow for some air movement in this wall.

At my first house I had a laundry sink installed on an outside wall, I sheet foam insulated the stud cavity behind it as well as either stud cavity adjacent. I then installed 3"x10" return air grills in the drywall at the bottom and top of the chase, which allowed for warm air movement through the space.

[Freddy]

Do not cover the water line with vapour barrier.
Insulation does not insulate. It is the air space in the insulation that insulates. So if the poly in covering the water line it will freeze. If the poly is behind the water line then it should not freeze. Only thing changed is the location of poly.
Now if the wall poly is not completly sealed with caulking/red tape and there is air movement behind the drywall the pipe will freeze.
If the outside wall is 2 by four then just get the whole wall cavity spray foamed.

[Rumtan]

You will need a non-freeze hose bib (google it for pics) but apart from that it will work.

[CaberTosser]

To expand on my previous answer I would recommend sheet foaming the entire section of exterior concrete wall prior to your framing. The sheet foam acts as both insulation and vapor barrier, just tape the seams and also tape it to the rest of the vapor barrier to keep the building envelope intact and draft free.

[Kim473]

Most of the problem is that the bathroom already exsits. When I renovate I have no problem reworking the outside wall but if I install a dummy wall then my 60" space now would be too small. I would have to remove the wall on the other side to keep the 60" opening for the new shower, which I do not want to do as the rest of the basement is finished and it would create a large, costly reno to move the other wall. I would like to change the shower but if I can't, I won't. Right now the shower that is in is about 32" square and this is the shower I would like to install.
http://www.costco.ca/.product.100132...uctsInCategory

With this plumbing.

http://www.costco.ca/.product.100138...rySiloedViewCP

[CaberTosser]

Then sheet the concrete wall with 11/2" foam and frame that wall with 2"x2"s.

The shower itself looks OK, but no-name brand shower valves scare me so far as replacement parts go. They're rarely, if-ever, convenient to source. Unknown brand= unknown longevity.

[Kim473]

Thanks for the help Caber. Much appreciated ! I will do as you sugested. I may pick a differant plumbing fixture but this one caught my eye and will pick something simialar.

[Bigdad013]

You could put in a recirc lines for both hot and cold lines. Nice part about this, you get instant hot water when needed instead of running your hot water for a couple of minutes waiting til it gets hot. Or run heat tracing.