Polybutylene Water Pipes
Polybutylene Water Pipes, what exactly are they? Why should I worry about them? How do I know if I have these in my home?
Polybutylene Water Pipes (PB for short) are water pipes that were used from the 70s to the mid 90s in new construction and mobile homes. During a recent inspection I found some PB in a home. As you can see from the photograph PB is usually grey in color and has PB and/or the word QEST stamped on the pipe. The problem with having these pipes in your home is that the plastic used in PB reacts to oxidants and disinfectants in public water supplies, like chlorine. The result is scaling and flaking from within that creates microfractures in the pipes that will eventually burst. As you can imagine a bursting pipe can cause major water damage to your home especially if you are at work or on vacation. If you have PB in your home it’s time to start thinking about replacement before major problems occur.
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