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Polybutylene (PB) pipes might be the pipes running throughout your home that supplies water you use everyday. PB pipes will leak without any warning causing thousands of dollars in damage.

Polybutylene is a plastic material known as a co-polymer. It was widely used from the mid 70’s to the mid 90’s across the nation. At that time it was touted as the “pipe of the future.” Polybutylene pipes are easily identified by the gray color and copper rings around the fittings where there are joints or directional changes in the pipe.

Polybutylene pipe failures can range in severity, but once you find one leak you can be assured you will soon have more. The average PB pipe starts to leak after nine years. The older the pipes the more likely they are to fail. With polybutylene it is not a question of IF you will have a failure but a question of WHEN you will have a failure. It is important that you become pro-active in your efforts to prevent failures and the damage one failure can cause to your home

How do you recognize Polybutylene Pipes?

• PB pipe is a non-rigid, sometimes curved, usually gray (or possibly silver or black) plastic pipe used in water supply plumbing systems.
• PB pipe has copper or silver rings that hold the joints together.
• PB pipe is blue, gray or black when used in the underground service company (from your home to the street).
• PB pipe is not used for drains, waste or vent piping.
• PB pipe is not PVC or CPVC, which is a rigid white or off-white plastic pipe.

Examples of polybutylene pipes:

Acetal Plastic Insert Fittings

If you purchased a house, mobile home or other structure in the United States after September 12, 1999, that contains plumbing composed of polybutylene pipe with plastic or metal insert fittings and was installed between January 1, 1978 and July 31, 1995, this Notice is directed to you.

If you do not qualify for the lawsuit and have polybutylene piping in your home, contact Atlantic Re-Plumbing, Inc. We can offer a solution that will be acceptable for you. Just give us a call and schedule a free inspection and estimate: 703-948-7111, or use our On-Line Estimate tool to get quick response on the price.

If you want quality service with hassle-free at a reasonable price contact Atlantic RePlumbing, Inc.

I would like to know what is polybutylene plumbing?  Is it a plastic and is it safe?  I heard that there were a lot of pipes bursting due to polybutylene plumbing.  Also I head that Atlantic Replumbing atlanticreplumbing.com   does a great job on replacing these pipes.