What’s with Poly B Piping?

Regardless of whether you’re buying or already own, there’s a chance you have heard about Poly B or Polybutylene. But what exactly is the deal with this type of piping?

Let’s start with what it is…

From the mid 1980’s late into the 1990s hundreds of thousands of homes were built with poly b piping in Canada. Poly B can be identified by its CSA # 137.8 or ASTM # D3309 accompanied by a PB stamp. It was a cheaper alternative to the copper piping, which was primarily used up to that point.

But was it any better…

The short answer is… no, it wasn’t.

Now let’s jump into the why…

1) Poly B reacted very poorly with water that required treatment (also known as “hard water”). This caused these pipes to rapidly degrade and ultimately lead to their failure.

2) Pipes were also weakened when used for hot water distribution. So as long as there were no plans on using hot water EVER we could expect the poly b pipes to last at least a reasonable amount of time.

3) When poly b fails, it is most definitely not gradual. Unlike copper piping (which tends to leak slowly through small pin holes), poly b was infamous for catastrophic failures and large water leaks. Which means when the issue is found, it was already too late to prevent a large scale water problem.

So now that we know a little bit about poly b, what does that mean for a potential buyer or current owner?

Here are some Inspection Insights…

Purchasing a home can be one of the most nerve racking/exciting experiences… and that’s on a good day. Now imagine combing that experience with the words “Poly B”.

While it may not be the first thing anybody wants to hear, it doesn't have to be a reason to lose sleep at night.

It is ALWAYS recommended that you hire a licensed inspector to do a review of your potential home.

If poly b is found during an inspection, here are a few details that you should know…

• Home insurers will often encourage the replacement of any poly b due to its nature of failure and if poly b is not replaced there will likely be higher premiums associated with your insurance.

• Additionally, there is potential for coverage to be voided and claims denied if the presence of poly b is not disclosed.

• Discussing with your insurer about possible options will be helpful in deciding the most cost effective route to take.

• Additionally, Polybutylene piping was involved in a class action law suit that ended in 2005 so there its not longer compensation provided from this.

Poly B piping has been causing people worry for just about as long as it’s been around. Fortunately, professionals across all fields have become well equipped in solving the issue in the best way possible for home owners. This is just one component of a much larger system and doesn’t have to be a deterrent from your potential dream home.

We believe all problems have a solution and with the right guidance your decisions can be made easier.

Hopefully you enjoyed these inspection insights or even learned a thing or two.

If you as the reader even have any questions about the topics discussed above, or even anything else. Please don’t hesitate to reach out using the information below.