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.
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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 Polybutylene
Exterior - Polybutylene underground water mains are usually blue,
but may be gray or black (do not confuse black polybutylene 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 polybutylene 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 polybutyene.
See
the photos
below of polybutylene pipes and fittings.
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 polybutylene 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.
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"A
series of reports have suggested that increased use of chloramines
accelerates corrosion and degradation of some metals and
elastomers common to distribution plumbing and
appurtenances.
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."
----Steven Reiber, HDR Engineering, American Water
Works Association Research Foundation
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Adapters-
Typically used to connect polybutylene pipe to fixtures. |
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Other
fittings. |
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Manufactured
Manifolds. |
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A
riser (22) is a pipe running from sink, toilet, or other
fixture to a valve. Pipe may be white PVC (23), black
polyethylene (24), cream CPVC (25), or gray polybutylene
pipe marked "PB 2110 M" (26). |
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These
are typically gray or white in color with a dull finish.
Most are shown with pipe attached. Figure (4) is a new
fitting. |
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Metal
Insert Fittings- These are typically made of copper or
brass. New fittings are shown in (11, 12). |
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Polybutylene
Pipe- Yard Service Line is typically blue (13), gray (14),
or black (15). Inside Pipe is typically gray (14) or Black
(15). |
Source:
Polybutylene.com
Copyright
2005 - All rights reserved.
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