Ask Jon Eakes

Last Updated: Sunday, January 22nd, 2012, Created: Friday, September 15th, 2000

Poly-B for plumbing pipe

Keith in Calgary asks about the Poly-B controversy.

Polybutylene piping has been the object of very large class action suits in the US and some initial steps are being taken to try and initiate this kind of class action suit here in Canada. Keith has it in his new home and is worried.

Of course this is a controversial issue, as is anything that is raised to the media and to the class action lawyers. There is however a significant difference between the Polybutylene experience in the US and that in Canada.

Primarily, few of the problematic acetyl in-line fittings were used in Canada, the majority of cases in the US were in the very hot roof sections of mobile homes in the southern desert states where the plastic piping literally cooked in the ceiling and chlorine levels in Canada are way below those in the southern states. Very few cases of problems have been reported in Canada, and most of those seem to be related to installation, not the piping itself. Probably as many installation problems have occurred with copper pipes in the same time period. So, as you can see I am not too excited about this issue in Canada and although not an ardent supporter of poly-b piping, I wouldn't go about ripping it all out -- although a good inspection of any visible joints might be warranted.

Marc in Calgary strongly disagrees with me in a letter he wrote to me in March of 2011 where he referred back to his experience with it in 1997: "I purchased a home in Calgary in 1997 and had multiple leaks with this piping.  Where it tends to leak is mostly on the hot water lines where the installer did not use elbows, but instead simply did a sweeping curve with the pipe.  It wears out from the inside of the pipe, on the outside of the curve.  After my third damaging leak I ripped out every stitch of grey pipe.  I also bought a second revenu house a few doors from my home.  I immediately ripped out all the grey pipe in that home too and saw several spots where a problem would definately have occurred.  I strongly suggest anyone who has this piping in their home to remove it completely.  The pipe is what fails, not the connectors as you suggested."

A month after adding Marc's comment to this entry Bob wrote me again from Calgary: "In my 20 year old house I have the gray water lines and fittings.  One night I had a catastrophic failure of a toilet supply valve.  The rotating part just popped out.  Also my neighbour a few doors down had a similar experience in a top floor bathroom when they were not home -- what a mess.  I believe it is much more serious than you are stating in your blog."

Note that these are the only comments I have received like this from Canadians and Calgary does have fairly high chlorine use -- but that doesn't minimize the damage when it does leak.  If you keep writing in I am going to have to bend to thinking that this piping is aging poorly, even here in Canada, or at least in Calgary.

But please, read the whole story for yourself.  In 2011 this is considered old news and many old web links are now no longer active.  There is still good information on the CSA site: type "Polybutylene" into their search form.

www.csa-international.org -- Canadian Standards Association

Keywords: Controversy, Damage, Hot Water Tank, Pipes, Plastic, Plumbing, Poly-B, Polybutylene, Problems, Water, Water Tank

Print Send To A Friend

Article 530

Privacy | Ruby on Rails Development by Isnor Creative