|
What What is polybutlene
|
|
|
|
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.
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.
|
|
|
If you have any questions about this or Home & Pest inspections fell free to give me a call.
Shawn Martin
Crosby Inspections
360.721.4577
;)
;)
Mr. Martin,
Did you by chance get that information from www.polybutylene.com? In any event there are a couple of other class action laswuits pending approval and settlement that the home inspection industry should keep on the radar. The largest and most know involved Kitec fittings. The fittings are failing prematurely as a result of whats called dezincification. Basically once the fittings are exposed to certain water types, the zinc is leached from within the fitting leaving the fitting weak and prone to catastrophic failure. Currently there is one class action filed on behalf of homeowners in Nevada and you can find more info at www.plumbingdefect.com. Another suit was filed in New Mexico and can be reviewed at www.plumbingdefectnm.com. Other similar national lawsuits have been filed in North Carolina, Califonia, and I believe Texas with many other states pending.
While water types appear to have a direct impact on Kitec fittings there is another national class action for a product commonly known as Zurn PEX which claims that the fittings were simply miss manufactured and are prone to failure irrespective of the water content. Keep in mind that the suit hasnt been litigated ie the manufacturers havent had their day in court. If the claim of this particular lawsuit is found to be true it could make the old polybutylene lawsuit look small in comparison. I found some details about this suit online at www.zurnclassaction.com.
It's never easy!
John