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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.
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