What is polybutylene?
Polybutylene is a plastic resin used to produce water pipes. These tubes have evolved in the 70s and were considered the pipes of the future. They were cheaper and easier to install than copper pipes. In the age of 80, however, polybutyne pipes began to fail and many experts now recommend that these pipes be replaced in homes.
The polybutyne tubes were developed at the time of the building boom in the sun belt - the southern part of the United States. It is estimated that the tubes were installed in 60 to 10 million houses in the 80s and 90s. This is about 20 to 25 percent of new houses built during this time. The pipes were used both in households and under water yards. In addition to new houses, they were used in mobile homes, apartment buildings and commercial structures.
About 10 to 15 years after installation, leaks were reported in the pipeline. Chlorine and other common oxidants in public water supply reacted with tRubs and caused them to put in and became fragile. This led to cracks that reduced the structural integrity of the pipeline that failed, sometimes without warning. Even a trained eye can have a hard time seeing a bad tube, because peeling exists internally. Leaks can cause great damage in the house and be expensive to repair.
Many lawsuits were lodged when the tubes began to leak and claimed that the production of pipes and installation was defective. The US law in the US, Cox v. Shell , ended in agreement with manufacturers, even if they did not require any mistake. There are strict instructions for admission to the class, including when pipes were installed, type of fittings used and what type of leakage occurred.
The owner of the house can look at the pipes of leaning on sinks, toilets and water heater to determine whether it has polybutylene pipes. Tubes are usually gray even if they can be blue, black oro White. Polybutylene pipes in the house can be limited by copper, so see copper behind the toilet does not exclude polybutyne pipe behind the walls. Looking at the tube, which includes the main shut -off valve - usually found near the water heater - it can determine whether the pipes under the yard are made of polybutylene.
Some experts recommend that real estate owners replace these tubes. Houses with these pipes can be difficult to insure, have higher bonuses and heavier to sell. Home owners should look for a company that specializes in replacing polybutyne pipes rather than a general plumber. In the US, the Plumbing License Authority will have a list of these specialists.