Polybutylene Pipes
in the Salem Indiana Area
What is Polybutylene?
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 Polybutylene Piping
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 want "Peace Of Mind" for
your next
home purchase, plus lots of extra value, then
give Certainty Home Inspections a call
Today
to schedule your home inspection!
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