5 Reasons Why Polybutylene Pipes Are NOT a Risk Worth Taking

Polybutylene pipes pose a serious risk and are a bad long-term investment for any homeowner for the following reasons:

1. They may fail at any time with no warning – possibly resulting in major damage requiring thousands of dollars to repair.

“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.”

“FACT: Polybutylene pipes can leak anytime without warning - destroying furniture, family heirlooms, and even causing structural damage.”
http://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html

“Poly pipe leaks are unpredictable and there are no symptoms to warn of an impending leak.”
http://www.propex.com/C_f_env_polybu.htm

“Damage from polybutylene pipe leaks can be expensive, in some cases more than the original cost of the house.”
http://www.propex.com/C_f_env_polybu.htm

“Poly systems may fail without warning, damaging properties and personal belongings, and disrupting lives.”
http://www.repipenews.com/

“Not all homes have had leaks, but the problem is, it’s impossible to tell if a home will have problems, or when.”
http://www.repipenews.com/


2. You cannot tell from the outside whether or not poly pipes are about to fail because they deteriorate from the inside.

“FACT: A home inspection cannot determine if poly is about to leak simply by looking at the outside of the pipe. Pipes deteriorate from the inside, and they can split under pressure."

http://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html

“A main concern regarding poly pipe is that, since the oxidants are carried in the water, the pipe deteriorates from the inside. This makes it very difficult to determine if the pipe is truly in good condition. Most home inspectors cannot give a reliable assessment on the condition of poly piping unless there is a visible problem with the exterior of the pipe or its installation. In addition, when a leak occurs, it may be extremely severe because the deterioration occurs from within.”
http://www.propex.com/C_f_env_polybu.htm

“Just looking at the pipes may not give you any indication that there is a problem because the erosion and cracks start on the inside of the pipe. Be aware, what appears to be okay, may not be!”
http://www.atlanticreplumbing.com/pipes.html

“Even if you know you have poly pipes, you still can’t tell what condition they’re in just by looking at or squeezing them because the problems occur on the inside of the pipes. Failures may occur in systems with plastic fittings, metal fittings, and manifold-type systems that look fine even to the trained eye.”
http://www.repipenews.com/


3. The potential for poly problems increases with the age of the house, so the longer they are installed, the higher the chance is that you will have a problem.

“The average PB pipe starts to leak after nine years. The older the pipes the more likely they are to fail. With polybutylene it is not a question of IF you will have a failure but a question of WHEN you will have a failure. It is important that you become pro-active in your efforts to prevent failures and the damage one failure can cause to your home.”
http://www.atlanticreplumbing.com/pipes.html

“Factors that may contribute to poly’s failure include: chemicals in our water supply, such as chlorine, that slowly destroy the structural integrity of poly pipes and fittings; the age of the pipe — the older the pipe, the more likely a problem will occur; and faulty installation.”
http://www.repipenews.com/

“Unlike most other maintenance issues, delayed replacement of poly may have substantial consequences. Due to the many documented cases of leaks, plumbing experts recommend replacing poly pipes.”
http://www.repipenews.com/

“What are the Chances of my Polybutylene Leaking?- The chances of a pipe leak increase with time. Most initial leaks that occur within the first 5 years, in my opinion are due to improper installation. The following chart is an approximate chance based solely on field experience.
Age of Polybutylene Pipes in Home Chance of a Leakage
5 years, Line: Meter to House 10%
10 years, Line: Meter to House 30%
20 years, Line: Meter to House 90%
5 years, Interior Distribution Piping 5%
10 years, Interior Distribution Piping 10%
20 years, Interior Distribution Piping 60%”
http://polybutylene.blogspot.com/2007/04/should-i-buy-home-with-polybutylene.html


4. Insurance policies may not cover incidents involving polybutylene pipes or will drop you from their coverage when you make a claim.

“FACT: Insurance premiums could increase or insurance companies could limit coverage in homes with polybutylene leak claims.”
http://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html

“Insurance companies sometimes cancel or refuse policies for homes with known poly piping problems, and it is difficult to market a home that has such an unreliable plumbing system.”
http://www.propex.com/C_f_env_polybu.htm

“Some insurance companies refuse to insure homes that use PB plumbing lines, or if they do, cancel the homeowners insurance or refuse to pay for damages when they occur.”
http://www.homedoctor.net/hvac-plumbing-electrical/plumbing/polybutylene-pb-pipes

“In some cases, homeowners are finding that homeowners insurance companies will either cancel their coverage when extensive damage is caused by [polybutylene] or refuse coverage to homes piped with PB.”

—Arizona Water Resource, the University of Arizona

“You should also be aware that you may face higher insurance premiums, limited coverage, or may even be denied coverage.”
http://www.repipenews.com/

“Insuring a Home with Polybutylene Plumbing- Many home warranty will deny your claims, cap your damage limits or deny coverage on polybutylene related damages. Some insurance companies will not insure your house for flood damage with polybutylene plumbing, others will cancel your policy after one major pipe failure.”
http://polybutylene.blogspot.com/2007/04/should-i-buy-home-with-polybutylene.html


5. Homes with poly pipes go down in value over time and are harder to sell.

“FACT: Homes with polybutylene plumbing sell for less.
FACT: Homes with polybutylene plumbing take longer to sell.
FACT: Homes with polybutylene plumbing will decrease in value over time compared to those with copper plumbing.”
http://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html

“When a home containing poly piping is placed on the market, buyers will often discount the price (due to the material defect) – even if the poly has not yet shown any leaks – because it is known that poly piping will leak eventually. If a seller is aware, it is wise to replace any poly piping before putting a house on the market.”
http://www.propex.com/C_f_env_polybu.htm

“The implications for homes containing plumbing pipes made from polybutylene are enormous. Homes take much longer to sell.”
http://www.homedoctor.net/hvac-plumbing-electrical/plumbing/polybutylene-pb-pipes

“In addition, homes with poly often take longer to sell, and sell for less.”
http://www.repipenews.com/

“Decreased Value- Polybuylene pipes are not desirable for home buyers. The pipes have a track record of failure and a well deserved bad reputation. Most home inspectors now red flag polybutylene during walk through inspections. Not to many people want there home to have a ticking time bomb in the wall. Polybutylene pipes in a home can decrease the value of a home by up to 10%. Example: if you had a $300,000 home and spent $7,000 to replacing the piping , you would have a net gain of $23,000, an improvement worth doing. A typical 2.5 bath house ranges from $3500-$7000 to do a complete turn key pipe replacement.

Increased Time on the Market- An interested buyer will normally have there home inspector check for polybutylene pipes before closing. Polybutylene pipes can be a reason to cancel a contract if not disclosed. The site of polybutylene pipes cause many buyers to lose interest immediately, most homeowners in the Atlanta area have had there polybutylene pipes replaced or know someone who has had polybutylene replaced. A local realtor estimated that over 50% of contracts fall through if an agreement is not reached over the polybutylene pipes, whether it be decreased selling price or a repipe completed before moving into the home.”
http://polybutylene.blogspot.com/2007/04/should-i-buy-home-with-polybutylene.html


SIDE NOTE: Poly pipes with metal fittings are still dangerous.

“Poly pipe with plastic fittings or with metal fittings will eventually incur damage; poly piping is not a reliable piping under any circumstances.”
http://www.propex.com/C_f_env_polybu.htm




Overall, the only remedy is replacement.

“The only way to eliminate the possibility of problems that can come from deteriorating polybutylene piping is to replace the pipe itself.”
http://www.propex.com/C_f_env_polybu.htm

“Unlike most other maintenance issues, delayed replacement of poly may have substantial consequences. Due to the many documented cases of leaks, plumbing experts recommend replacing poly pipes.”
http://www.repipenews.com/

“Unlike most other home maintenance issues, delaying poly replacement may have devastating consequences. While pipe replacement is a “hidden” investment, it will increase the value of your home, unlike many other home improvements.”
http://www.repipenews.com/

“If you just purchased the house, the seller should have notified you – or discounted the price of the house to offset the fact that defective piping is pumping through your new home”
http://www.ehow.com/how_2054244_spot-defective-polybutylene-pipes.html