If you own or are currently in the market for a new home, you’ve probably been warned about polybutylene piping at some point during the process. While some unsolicited advice may not be wholly worthwhile, warnings about poly piping are. There are a variety of reasons why you’ll want to make sure that all polybutylene piping in your home is replaced, most of which boil down to expensive and potentially serious property damage.
What’s Wrong with Polybutylene Pipes?
Polybutylene piping was used during the construction of millions of American properties in the 1970s and was quite popular due to its ease of installation and relatively low price in comparison to copper pipes. Over time, however, it became apparent that the structural integrity of polybutylene pipes could be easily compromised. To further complicated matters, poly pipes degrade from the inside, making it almost impossible to spot potential problems by simply examining the exterior. Degradation of polybutylene pipes can lead to significant property damage, and failures can occur with little to no advance warning.
Polybutylene Pipes and Your Homeowners Insurance
Because of the extensive damage that polybutylene piping failure can cause and the likelihood of sucha failure occurring, many homeowners’ insurance companies will deny coverage on properties with poly pipes or even cancel existing policies upon discovery of them. The problem of polybutylene pipe failure was so widespread that a class action lawsuit was settled in 1995, allowing involved homeowners to replace their pipes with money from a settlement fund. A full polybutylene pipe replacement is a big job and is serious enough that only licensed plumbers with extensive experience and a specialization in performing them should be hired to complete the work.
