What Is Polybutylene ?
Polybutylene is a form of plastic resin that was used extensively in the manufacture of water supply piping from 1978 until 1995. Due to the low cost of the material and ease of installation, polybutylene piping systems were viewed as "the pipe of the future" and were used as a substitute for traditional copper piping. It is most commonly found in the "Sun Belt" where residential construction was heavy through the 1980's and early-to-mid 90's, but it is also very common in the Mid Atlantic and Northwest Pacific states.
These are typically gray or white in color with a dull finish. Most are shown with pipe attached. Figure (4) is a new fitting.
The
piping systems were used for underground water mains and as
interior water distribution piping. Industry experts believe
it was installed in at least 6 million homes, and some
experts indicate it may have been used in as many as 10
million homes. Most probably, the piping was installed in
about one in every four or five homes built during the years
in which the pipe was manufactured.
How
to Tell If You Have Poly
Exterior
- Polybutylene underground water mains are usually blue,
but may be gray or black (do not confuse black poly with
polyethelene pipe). It is usually 1/2" or 1" in
diameter, and it may be found entering your home through
the basement wall or floor, concrete slab or coming up
through your crawlspace; frequently it enters the home
near the water heater. Your main shutoff valve is
attached to the end of the water main. Also, you should
check at the water meter that is located at the street,
near the city water main. It is wise to check at both
ends of the pipe because we have found cases where
copper pipe enters the home, and poly pipe is at the
water meter. Obviously, both pipes were used and
connected somewhere underground.
Interior - Polybutylene used inside your home can be found near the water heater, running across the ceiling in unfinished basements, and coming out of the walls to feed sinks and toilets. Warning: In some regions of the country plumbers used copper "stub outs" where the pipe exits a wall to feed a fixture, so seeing copper here does not mean that you do not have poly.
Will
the Pipes Fail?
While
scientific evidence is scarce, it is believed that
oxidants in the public water supplies, such as chlorine,
react with the polybutylene piping and acetal fittings
causing them to scale and flake and become brittle.
Micro-fractures result, and the basic structural
integrity of the system is reduced. Thus, the system
becomes weak and may fail without warning causing damage
to the building structure and personal property. It is
believed that other factors may also contribute to the
failure of polybutylene systems, such as improper
installation, but it is virtually impossible to detect
installation problems throughout an entire system.
Throughout the 1980's lawsuits were filed complaining of allegedly defective manufacturing and defective installation causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Although the manufacturers have never admitted that poly is defective, they have agreed to fund the Class Action settlement with an initial and minimum amount of $950 million. You'll have to contact the appropriate settlement claim company to find out if you qualify under this settlement.
With regard to elastomers, the study showed
that with few exceptions, solutions of
chloramines (either monochloramine or
dichloramine) produced greater material
swelling, deeper and more dense surface
cracking, a more rapid loss of elasticity, and
greater loss of tensile strength than equivalent
concentrations of free chlorine."
"A series of reports have suggested that
increased use
of choloramines accelerates corrosion and
degradation of some metals and elastomers common
to distribution plumbing and appurtenances.
----Steven Reiber, HDR Engineering, American
Water Works Association Research Foundation
Call Miracle Rooter Plumbing today for information and a first hand look at what happens to the inside of poly pipes and fittings. We offer free estimates within our service area.