Navigation
Instant Plumbing Logo Calgary Plumbers

OR

Contact

Call

Poly-B Piping: Why You Ought To Be Concerned

We get a lot of calls about plumbing problems with polybutylene pipe (“Poly-B”). We’ve written about this stuff before; it tends to develop leaks, and insurance companies don’t like it!

One might wonder why there’s so much of this grey tubing installed in Calgary. Since we’ve been plumbing here since 1972, we thought we’d give you some background.

Copper: Good, But Expensive

Most Calgary homes were originally built with copper pipe, but copper has always been relatively expensive. It’s very useful because it can be made into a wide variety of shapes and it conducts heat and electricity very well. It’s also a very safe and durable plumbing material.

At the same time, it’s scarce because there are comparatively few places where it can be mined, and it’s difficult to refine. Copper began to climb in value in the 1970s due to accelerated global demand and continuing limited supply. Naturally, every industry that uses copper has seen pressure to find less costly alternatives.

Remember aluminum electrical wiring back in the 1970s? (No? Then let Granddad tell you a story.) At the time, it seemed like a good cost-saving alternative to copper wiring, but eventually, it was shown that electrical connections would degrade more quickly due to aluminum’s differing properties, like higher resistance and thermal expansion, and non-conductive oxidation.

These properties over time led to loose connections and overheating, sometimes to the point of fire hazard. So, these days if you buy a house that was built in 1972 and still has its original wiring, chances are you’re going to be upgrading it for safety’s sake, and your insurance company may insist on this.

Poly-B: Less Expensive, BUT…

There’s a similar crisis in the residential plumbing industry. Polybutylene is a plastic resin that was introduced to the manufacture of water supply piping around 1978, and remained in common use well into the mid-1990s.

Poly-B pipe is practically everywhere– about a quarter of Calgary homes have it– builders widely implemented it as a less expensive, more flexible option to copper all over the industry, and it was easy to install.

Sadly, time has shown that Poly-B is inadequate for high-pressure and temperature combinations. It may have been cheaper, but its total life expectancy is much shorter than copper. Most leaks begin to occur in the 10 to 15-year time frame.

Why The Leaks Occur

There are several factors contributing to system leaks. Polybutylene is vulnerable to ultraviolet light. Unaware of this fact, many builders frequently stored spools of the tubing outdoors, causing the resin to photodegrade before installation.

Poly-B pipe is designed for less than 70 pounds of pressure (some up to 100–105). However, if 70 pounds is your average water pressure, you’ll have to allow for spikes in pressure that far exceed that value, especially if you’re in the habit of turning your taps off so suddenly that you hear a bang or thud. When you do this, remember there’s a column of incompressible water in motion suddenly coming to a dead halt; all that kinetic energy has to go somewhere… The result is akin to hitting the pipe with a hammer. Areas, where the tubing takes sharp turns, will also exacerbate these pressure spikes. We can help you with pressure-reducing valves that will minimize this risk.

Excessive water temperature will also weaken the plastic over time, just as chlorine, chloramine, and other oxidant chemicals used in water treatment contribute to brittleness. Often, cheap plastic fittings were used, which will also become brittle.

Do You Feel Lucky?

In effect, homeowners with Poly-B plumbing are taking a real gamble. Even with perfect installation and metal fittings, polybutylene systems will eventually fail at some point. Over the years the stress takes its toll, and fatigue sets in on the plastic. The worst-case scenario is a pipe bursting along its longitudinal seam, while the best case is the development of isolated pinhole leaks. When the pipes leak, it is usually minor– but catastrophic failures can and do occur.

If your home has Poly-B piping and you have not experienced any leaks, it would still be prudent to have your system visually inspected to ensure your fittings are in good shape, and to check the water pressure and temperature settings to be sure they are well within the material’s design limits.

PEX: A Smart, Affordable Alternative

Selling your home may force your hand– some insurers may insist that the polybutylene tubing be replaced. Doing so with copper might be prohibitively expensive, but fortunately, we can recommend another flexible tubing option that is far more durable and resistant to pressure and temperature: PEX.  That’s the trade name for Cross-Linked Polyethylene, and it’s quickly becoming the dominant technology for carrying water into homes and businesses. It’s been in use in Europe since the 1960s.

The cost to replace all your Poly-B with PEX is typically $5,000 – $15,000 and takes two to three days. It’s an expense compared to having your windows replaced. If you do it preventively, before any leaks occur, you’ll be avoiding potential water damage costs that can be much higher.

If you’d like us to come out to check the condition of your Poly-B plumbing, give our Calgary Plumbers a call, we’re available 24/7/365.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

George Pinel
George Pinel

These blog posts are brought to you from George Pinel & the Instant Plumbing team.

10 thoughts on “Poly-B Piping: Why You Ought To Be Concerned”

  1. What is the maximum lifespan for Poly B pipes that you know of? We have had our’s (with copper fittings) for 27 years.

    Reply
    • Hi Tricia, the lifespan of Poly B is impacted by many variables. The best indication that they are reaching their end is when they start having leaks. Some additional things to consider are the settings for your water pressure and hot water temperature – too much pressure and too much heat can speed up their deterioration. We can check both settings as part of a free estimate. At 27 years, your pipes are most likely reaching the end of their lifespan, so a repipe may also be considered. If you have any additional questions, please let us know.

      Reply
  2. I have poly B for hydronic in floor heat. The system is about 30 years old and I have had zero problems except for expansion tank failures about every 5 years. The cost of this is only about $50 every 5 years, pretty cheap maintenance. My question is am I running on borrowed time here or is the poly b ok OK here as the max pressure is only about 25 psi and no big pressure bumps but the temp does get up to about 160.

    Reply
    • Poly B in floor, not the best install but too late now.

      The big problem with it is that it is not oxygen barrier so it will allow O2 into system all the time hence the reason his expansion tank is rusting out with greater frequency. The other trouble will be that it will continue to erode any steel items in the system like the pumps and even the boiler itself. So having said all that it’s not the end of the world. We can isolate the poly from the system with a heat exchanger as well as I would recommend limiting the temperature into the floor as the recommended amount is 120 or lower Fahrenheit.

      We can drop in to provide a free consultation for you as well. Feel free to contact us https://www.instantplumbing.ca/calgary/contact-a-plumber/

      Reply
    • Hi Brian, The answer is no as the inside diameter is different. The poly-b fitting cannot be used – You need a pex x poly-b fitting.

      Reply
  3. You say “Cost to replace all your Poly-B with PEX is typically $5,000 – $10,000 and takes two to three days”.

    Does your cost estimate include the drywall repair and repainting? Am I right in assuming that replacing all the polyB pipe will require existing ceilings and walls to be cut out to access the pipes?

    Reply
    • Hi David, Unfortunately the cost does not cover the drywall and repainting and the drywall will need to be cut out to access the pipes. If you are interested in this service we can give you access to companies that provide dry walling and painting.

      Have a great day.

      Reply
  4. We had copper piping, with a recirculation pump on the hot water, with a tiny pump. After 7 years the joints began to spring leaks, many in the next 2 years. When you replaced them you told us the calcium in the constantly moving water weekend the walls at the bends. All copper is now replaced by you with grey plastic pipe, and no leaks have developed in the 28 years since.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Social media

Contact

For evening, weekend or holiday service, please call (403) 338-1172.