| Latest News! |
|
Plastic Plumbing: Tempest in a teapot? |
|
Polybutylene (PB) Plumbing
used for hot & cold supply piping in homes, also known as
"Poly-B" has attracted considerable attention lately, most
notably in B.C., Alberta and some U.S. States. Recent alarming
media coverage has whipped many home owners into a state of
panic. |
|
Plastic pipe problems are like a "tempest in a teapot" said the
president of the Alberta New Home Warranty Program. "The rate of
incidents is insignificant - and our experience with it has been
zero." |
|
The Canadian Association of Home Inspectors, the Home Builders
Association and the New Home Warranty Program, among other
organizations, have all investigated and researched this issue.
PB appears to be an excellent plumbing system with a relatively
low incident rate of failures, most of which have been
attributed to poor workmanship or improper choice of materials. |
| So why the
sudden burst of media attention? |
| Info packages
have been sent to media sources and home owners, claiming
experts have stated that such systems are failing. The lawyers
who sent the packages have been soliciting home owners to join a
potential class-action suit against the makers of PB tubing and
associated fittings. |
|
There have been very few documented cases of PB failures in
Canada, and most authoritative sources indicate that the
problems lie with the plastic "acetyl" fittings, very few of
which are encountered in Canada. |
|
Chlorine levels above 2PPM may cause damage to PB tubing,
however this is unlikely because this is a much higher than
normal chlorine level, and would certainly elicit a flurry of
complaints from residents. |
|
Aluminium crimp rings have also been blamed, and these are also
rare in Canada, where primarily copper fittings and crimp rings
have been used. Many U.S. failures occurred in southern areas
where plumbing was run in attics, which has not been practiced
in Canada, and some plumbers took old brass fittings and used
them for plastic... a likely mismatch. |
| In
Alberta, where the level of concern is at its highest, the
Labour Department reports the problem rate at less than a
fraction of 1% of all installations. In fact, only two cases
have been cited, and both of these were reportedly due to poor
workmanship. |
|
 |
|
Plastic
fittings: 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Others shown are
brass adapters. |
|
 |
|
Polybutylene
Pipe - Yard Service Line is typically blue (13), gray (14),
or black (15). Inside Pipe is typically gray (14) or Black
(15). |
|
| HOW TO TELL
THE DIFFERENCE: |
|
Polybutylene (PB) piping used in Canada is grey in color, with
blue lettering on it and a Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
stamp. Some installations will have plastic fittings at the
joints, where other will be connected with copper fittings and
crimp rings. |
| C-PVC is a more rigid plastic piping with glued
joints. It is white or creamy colored, with black or blue
lettering, and a CSA stamp. |
 |
 |
|
Manufactured manifolds. Copper 19, plastic 20, 21. |
A
riser (Item 22) is a pipe running up to a sink, toilet, or
other fixture, usually from a shut-off valve. Pipe may also
be white PVC (Item 23), black polyethylene (Item 24), cream
CPVC (Item 25), or grey polybutylene pipe marked
"PB 2110 M" (Item 26). |
 |
|
Valves typically found under
sinks and toilet tanks. |
|
| IF YOU
HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT PLASTIC PIPING: |
|
Extensive investigation, including contacting the national
research centres in Canada and the U.S. has triggered no alarm
bells. Although the jury is still out on plastic plumbing, the
issue appears to be blown out of proportion at this time. |
| If
homeowners are concerned about the type of plumbing in their
homes, and would like to set their minds at ease, they should
contact their plumber or builder. |
| In
the event that repairs or replacement are recommended, second
and third opinions should be obtained. |
| A prudent home
owner may also want to contact their insurance carrier to
determine if there are any limitations to coverage, based on the
type of plumbing in the house. |
|
RECOMMENDATIONS AND LIMITATIONS TO USAGE: |
- Do not use plastic piping
in a continuously circulating hot water plumbing loop.
- Do not use where water
temperatures could exceed 180 degrees F.
- Do not use in an
application where the plastic pipe will be exposed to direct
sunlight.
- Do not allow pipe to be
left exposed to direct sunlight for more than 30 days during
or before construction.
- Do not use acetal
(plastic) fittings.
- Water heater connections
should be made with metal (copper) connectors at least 18"
long.
- Pipe must be kept at
least 6 inches from hot water tank or furnace flue pipes.
- Polybutylene piping is
not suitable for swimming pool piping systems, or where more
than 2ppm of chlorine (free residual) will be routinely
encountered.
|
|
top |
