Polybutylene is type of plastic resin that was used extensively from 1978 until 1995.  During that time polybutylene piping was seen by many to be the pipe of the future.  Due to the low cost of the material and ease of installation polybutylene piping systems were used by a large number of builders as an inexpensive substitute for traditional copper piping and is very common in the Mid Atlantic area 

Polybutylene pipes were used for underground water mains as well as interior water distribution piping. It has been estimated that these pipes were installed in at least 6 million homes, and some estimates are as high as 10 million homes.  Polybutylene was installed in about 20 to 25 percent of homes built during the time the pipe was manufactured.

Exterior:

• Polybutylene underground water mains are usually blue, but may be gray or black so do not rely on color 
• It is usually 1/2" or 1" in diameter, and it may be seen entering your home through the basement wall or floor, concrete slab 
• or coming up through the crawlspace under your home.   Many times it enters the home near the water heater. 
• The main shutoff valve is attached to the end of the water main so you should always check there 
• 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 line because sometimes two types of pipe were used. 

Interior

Polybutylene used inside your home can be found: 

• Near the water heater
• Running across the ceiling in unfinished basements
• 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, because of this simply seeing copper here does not mean that you do not have polybutylene. 

If you are not sure if you have polybutylene pipes the best thing to do is give Homeowners Plumbing a call.  We will inspect your water system and quickly determine what type piping you have throughout your home.

Yes, eventually they will, and they may fail any without warning possibly causing damage to your home’s structure and to your personal property. 

Although there is little actual scientific studies available as to the cause of the failures it is believed that oxidants in the public water supplies, such as chlorine, react with the piping and fittings causing them to scale, flake, and become brittle. Micro-fractures then occur, and the basic integrity of the water system is reduced and becomes weaker over time.

Of course there may be many other factors that may also contribute to the failure of polybutylene systems, such as improper installation, however it is virtually impossible to detect installation problems throughout an entire system.  If you have polybutylene pipes you should not be as concerned about why the system will fail, but the fact that in time it will fail.

Call Homeowners Plumbing for an evaluation of your system and an efficient and cost effective replacement plan.  For quick, efficient, and reasonable polybutylene pipe replacement there is no one better than our professional pipe team.  We use only the best materials and we work to code.  You can rest assured that our work will cause minimum disruption to your living or working environment.