Poly B Plumbing | Everything You Need To Know When Buying A House With Polybutylene Piping
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- Опубликовано: 19 июн 2021
- If you own a home in BC or are considering a purchase and that property was constructed between 1984 and 1998, you are going to want to watch this video.
Polybutylene (Poly B) piping was the most common type of plumbing installed over that time period and having it in your home is not ideal. It is that hard grey pipe.
In this video Steve Karrasch of Macdonald Realty explains the realities of this type of plumbing Not from a plumbers point of view, but that of a real estate agent who sell homes with all types of plumbing.
So before you drive yourself crazy trying to find out about this problem pipe, watch this video and safe yourself a bunch of time and heart ache.
If you have any questions about this, please reach out in the comments or which ever way is easiest from the list below.
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Great info. I have had poly b piping with the copper fittings in my home and never had issues with it. Insurance company asked if there was poly b but I was still able to get it insured without issues
Glad to hear. Thanks for sharing.
Who are you insured with?
Great question. I’d like to hear too. Previously BCAA actually had a pretty good Poly B policy.
which insurance?
@@SteveKarrasch same situation and USAA
Almost purchased a home in Florida built in 91’. Paid for the inspection and found out there’s poly-b pipes. The owners wanted to sell the home as is. I got an estimate to have the re-piping done ($7,500). I can only imagine that price would go up once they actually start doing the work and find other issues with the piping. So we canceled the offer and are looking elsewhere.
I ran a multi-family apartment complex of 366 units for about 5 years that was built in the early 90's and has PB piping along with Apollo heating systems. It was an absolute nightmare with the leaks. Turning on the heat loops in the winter was always a very scary time for me. Poly pipes love to bust on the weekends or anytime after 5 pm, I speak from first hand experience.
Home built in 97. Poly b pipe with copper fittings. All runs are home runs. So only two fittings per run. No problems.
Installed polyb as an unticketed plumber with zero problems. My house was built in 1993 with polyb and has had no problems. Haved used it on numerous buildings. Always used metal fittings and make sure the bands aren't put on crooked.
Bought house 2 years ago, built in 1992 with poly-b. Investigated all the cons of poly-b and there are many stories such as, poly -b fails with chlorinated water, well we don't have chlorine in our water. Removed some of the poly-b, still very pliable . No leaks. Insurance company did not blink . Will stick with it unless insurance company changes opinion.
My house was built in 92. I've had a lot of encounters with poly-b, unfortunately. It was pointed out in the inspection 5 years ago when I bought the house.
The first encounter, after showering in the morning before work, I heard water hitting the bottom of the floor. A pin hole leak was detected and I was able to fix it before I left for work!
The second pinhole developed right off of the hot side of the water heater. Easy and exposed to fix.
The third came off the hot water heater, when it splits off to the rest of the house. Kind of a pain, but fixed it.
The fourth was some weird homeowner installed T line that failed. Hard to locate but easy to repair.
The location of the T line, I had opened 4 holes in the ceiling, and I've left them open after carefully cutting and setting back in place. I'm waiting to replace all, maybe until the next leak or 2.
Here's the lucky part, even though the previous homeowner finished the basement, it's still the basement! Tile and cement garage floor. It's annoying but not the end of the world for my home, and the last leak, I was complaining about being bored, lol. 4 - 1x1 foot holes later, I won't be complaining about being bored again!
Here's another tip for someone who doesn't have $10,000 to replace their house, or just fine with plugging them as they come until ready to replace; make a jig out of wood, smaller than the rafters, and use a zip saw or dremmel (with extension tool) to zip out nice neat squares. I even made a catch, stapled around jig, out of clear plastic to contain dust!
I have more tips, but anyone on the level probably already knows;
You can expand the poly-b enough to use it on pex fittings. I uses the end of a pair of plyers and just inserted and worked it back and forth.
You don't need copper clamps like the original poly-b used, you can use the pex clamps. Slide over (steel?) pex clamps with crimper.
To repair, just get a quality drywall tool, clamp tool, and lots of fittings. Of course, buy a lot of pex. The size difference are difficult to compare, but take samples to the hardware store.
One more tip; check the PRV (pressure regulating valve) in your house by getting a simple gauge that attaches to the spicket. Mine was 120 or higher, and I believe it should be 60-80. If the pressure from the street is coming into the house, you'll have far more problems. I discovered that when a shower started leaking, and had to pay to have a new PVR valve installed.
Great info. We were just discussing this for a house our mom bought in Florida in 1995. The poly B was already in. The previous owner said they just re-piped a few yrs ago. The house was built in 1970. This house has copper fittings.
My parents home is from the early 90s. They live in the Citadel area of Port Coquitlam and they have PolyB. There's no radiant heating though so it's just a few pipes. They actually had a pinhole in one of the pipes this year and they had to fix that and replace all the piping to PEX.
Thanks for sharing. Most copper lasts 30-35 years, I wonder if they are a similar life span in reality.
My house in Surrey has PB piping built in 97 and had to replace the water valves underneath my kitchen and bathroom since they were leaking. My plumber gave me the old valves as a souvenir with PB pipe attached to it. The pipe is really stiff with no such corrosion in the inside. Not bad for a 26 year old pipe.
I been replacing mine as it breaks for the past 20 years and your 100% correct about the plastic fittings but a lot of the poly is still original in the 35 year old home
Very informative
🙏
I’m looking at buying a Surrey townhome that I suspect has poly b (need confirmation) and in floor radiant heating. I suspect that I might have to give it a pass, thanks for the info.
My house is ‘92
We are doing a tub and shower valve replacement and working with poly-b for both hot a cold water. We’re not having any issues with it. The real issue was the old cartridge in the valve…Three little copper pipes twisted bad when we tried to remove the cap over the stem.
Went to change my kitchen faucet and will removing the old faucet the grey tube with shitty crimping failed on both hot and cold. My house was build in Alberta in 1985!
1989 built . All PB piping. Had my first pipe break yesterday . 34 years and I replaced my first 2 foot section. It was in a bend in the pipe .
34 years is as good as copper, not bad!
My 1986 PB pipe is fine. Plastic fittings become brittle and snap. Copper fittings are fine. PB, PVC, CPVC and PEX can not be exposed to UV rays. The gray electrical PVC is treated for outdoor use. Metal pipe erodes faster than plastic. Copper is a nutritional supplement, plastic is not. PEX A has 4 times the leached toxins as PEX B. Use metal pipe right at hot water exits extended a ways before connecting any type of plastic.
I've used to install sections of poly b piping on jobs that people lowballed me on prices, the problem was that it never failed and is still working fine to this day.....
I'm not sure if this is a good thing or bad... haha! Thanks for commenting!
I am in Sometimes Sunny Sooke ( just west of Victoria).My mobile home has Polybutalene pipes 30 plus years old and no issues thus far. Water pressure is 30 lbs and outside temps are moderate. Not going to fix it till it breaks. Cheers
Thanks for sharing!
Hi I have never had issues with poly b , one needs copper crimps and a good expensive pair of crimps. I am a journeyman carpenter and power engineer. I have built plumbed and wired houses. Today there is pex and you can transition between the two very easily.
Thanks for sharing!
Live in a 1997 house in Richmond with some poly pipes for radiant heat, no problems so far. 25 years now, will consider repiping to PEX or copper, I think PEX is cheaper though, repiping would be expensive nonetheless.
Thanks for sharing.
Good for you if its still good. We havent lived in my home 2 years and the pipes keep busting left and right. 1987 claymont single wide. $10,000 plus to repipe.
Thanks for this. Looking at a property in Maple Ridge that has it. What I am most interested in is: Is there a way to see how much total Poly B is in the house? I see it next to the water heater but wanna know if that is an indicator that all of the water lines in the house are poly b or only a few places?
You should ask your home inspector.
Thank you.
You're welcome!
I have it in my home. No idea what it was when I bought my home. This is my first property. The year on my paperwork says 1988, but the fella who “built” the house says 1978. No idea what to believe til I get to the county records. I’d like to replace it with pex. Thanks for the info
If you windows are original, look inside the frame, normally the year they were made is stamped in the metal. That is often the same time the house is built.
Just lurchased a 14 acre farm in virginia... never heard of this piping until the real estate agent mentioned seeing it in the house... I bought the house anyway.. i didnt see any leaks or corrosion fron slow leaks.. And got the house for 50k under asking price. Due to the owner getting divorced and needing to sell in 3 days lol.
But it was built in 93.. has th3 copper fittings. New water heater. One of those tankless ones.. i nkticed they hooked it up with copper piping from the poly.
I guess if it needs replaced.. well replace em..
Thanks for sharing!
I have PB piping in my house (some plastic fittings, but mostly metal). We bought the house in 03, and they didn't give us an issue, and they don't seem to care. I guess maybe if I were selling the house insurance companies might now want to insure it? Anyway, as is I have insurance and have luckily never had an issue with it.
Our home was built in 1991, had poly B . In 2020 we decided to update the upstairs floors-bathrooms and our contractor suggested we replace the entire house plumbing with PEX , it made the job easier-less expensive since the reno had the subfloors exposed and walls opened up anyway so we went ahead and upgraded the plumbing "before" we updated the rest of the house, frost free outside taps and a more convenient main shutoff location , hire a good contractor!
Thanks for sharing!
I've got Polly B in my 1991 manufactured double-wide with copper fittings and copper straps on a well system and have not had any leeks as of yet (thinking about a replumb just for the heck of it 😋 insurance company never asked what type of Plumbing is in the joint 🙄
Probably a good thing to do.
I'll be doing this for a family member who lives in a MH. My idea is to work from the inside as much as possible, laying the PEX in the floor duct which is no longer used to avoid going underneath in the dirt. I am going to work a couple hours each day and lay the PEX place with all stub-outs before removing the Poly-B to reduce water down-time
@@jamesnoggle2661 Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the update. Heard about issues with Poly-B. Our place was built around 1988 with Poly-B with poly fittings. No in floor heating though. The so far, no problems. God willing it will remain that way.
🤞
This guy is Bang On. Most Plumbers and plumbing companies just blanket their statements but if you really read online and do your research, the info this guy is saying is out there. For B.C. anyway. My buddy owns a commercial plumbing company and he said same thing. If fittings are Copper (not the plastic ones) and Pipe is only used for Hot and Cold and not for heating and also no ultraviolet light on it. Leave it alone he said.. That being said you may want to repipe any house after 40 years. My house is 1967 but they added a bathroom in 1989 and no issues today. I have owned it for 7 years. It is 2024 now. I will say we used to have a condo with PEX and I always remember that plastic taste when I would get a glass of water. This house I do not get that so It will be copper for US when I redo. We only have Copper and about 12 Ft of Poly B. THX great post.
Bought house built in 1992 with poly-b. Cut out some pipe to replace with Pex and the poly-b with copper crimps looked perfect.
I have Poly B with Copper Fittings. Built in 1995 never have had an issue
Most don't. Thanks for sharing.
My house is all done in poly b the heating from the boiler and the potable water is all poly b and the house is about 30 years old never had a issue
Great!
My house was built in 1983. I had polybutylene pipe. I several leeks, including a catastrophic break which flooded my basement. I replaced all of it with CPVC.
1983 was super early for Poly B
@@SteveKarrasch every house in my street has or had it. All my neighbors have similar stories to mine. Several of them also did full replacements. I live in northern Virginia. I know of homes built in the late 70s That have it
You took something bad out and replaced it with something even worse?//
You want to pay for all copper re pipe ? No ? Ok got get your shine box
so you took shit out and replaced it with even more shittier shit?
Water is copper...
Fire sprinkler system is poly-b in unaccessible areas and orange plastic (replaced) is accessible areas....one building has had it all replaced, but most 🤞have been troubles free
Built in 1986 in NH USA
Should the poly be replaced after 30+ years
1998 house here and found it, looking to change it to PEX.
Thanks for sharing!
My house was built in 2009. I just had a house inspector say I have poly-b piping and recommended I repipe the entire house. It doesn’t make sense that a new build would have this pipe since it was out of code in 2005. Wasn’t pointed out on my inspection when I bought the house. Any suggestions. I have a couple plumbers coming for quotes. Could I go after the builders for using this pipe and the city for approving it if this is true?
Great question. I've never seen something so new with Poly B.
Hello! It’s actually CPVC but my plumber did recommend repiping due to CPVC degradation after a few years. My home is 15 years old. Any thoughts?
@@jessicayoung1417 Oh, ya CPVC can actually be worse than Poly B
My home was built in 86,I've replaced every fitting in my house with Sharkbites,one by one every fitting failed.
Plastic or copper fittings?
@Karrasch Real Properties they were plastic and where they failed was the broke out at the base of the nipple on the fitting ,broke right in two almost every one of them the exact same way.Ive never had a pipe split tho,I'd say it's more the fittings than the pipe itself.
Which insurance company ?
1987 home on well water mix of Copper ring crimps ans plastic clscrew on fittings, almost every single joint has leaked in the past 15 years I'm replacing to pex wherever can and am continuously patching ceilings and walls 😢. If your not handy id stay away from any house with Poly b plumbing or build in the cost of removal into the deal. My two cents anyway!
Yikes!
I have poly b and my house was build in 87
I just bought a house with polyB piping in south florida. It was built in 1996.
Sounds right!
@@SteveKarrasch I have poly B in my house.... Switching it all out for copper. Copper is known to last PVC is still new... Going old school
Did you replace the pipes?
@@Ibautista07 no most people in my neighborhood have not
When polly B is not fitted to a elbow and transitions from a horizontal to a vertical, it will blow out eventually.
As you start replacing it with pex, polly B fails much quicker on the weaker side of pex..
Im living this dream now...
ITS just part of being a grown up...
Now from city supply to private, thats a big can of worns, pvc to copper, to polly B or pex. ....
The fittings are definitely the problem. Not the pipe itself now unless your on city water that is a different story. I’m on a well and only issue are the transitions fittings splitting.
Are they plastic fittings?
built in 1998, house in Calgary, Poly B
Wow. 98 was late for Poly B!
1985
1989 my house was built and its a nightmare ugggggggg
Yikes!
HOUSE BUILT IN 1995 POLY B PIPING IN ATTIC.
Pipes in the attic???
Poly B is one of the worst things ever manufactured. Good old copper lasts for years but because everything is becoming more about how much cheaper a structure can be built for, this stuff has found its way into the market. I've seen stories about how this stuff has blown out while nobody is home and caused thousands of dollars of damage due to flooding of the house.
Just make sure you change out the coper before 35 years or you could have similar issues.
@@SteveKarrasch Well the copper tubes in my property are 43 years old and still going okay.
A full 2 minutes in and all you’re talked about so far is yourself.
Welcome to my channel.