Polybutylene Pipe in Phoenix Homes

Polybutylene, often called PB or poly pipe, is a flexible gray plastic that was widely installed in Arizona homes from about 1978 to the mid-1990s. It was cheap, quick to install and resisted freezing. Builders across the Phoenix area used it in thousands of homes, including many in Deer Valley, Paradise Valley Village and Moon Valley. Problems began to appear within a decade or two, and its use ended in the 1990s after widespread failures and lawsuits.

Look at exposed pipes near the water heater, under kitchen and bathroom sinks, at the main shut-off and coming out of walls to toilets. Polybutylene is usually gray, sometimes blue or black, flexible and often stamped PB2110. Fittings are typically crimped with copper or aluminum rings, or older plastic fittings. PEX, the modern replacement, is usually red, blue or white and stamped PEX. If you are unsure, a plumber can tell you in a few minutes.

Chlorine and other disinfectants in treated city water slowly attack polybutylene and its fittings from the inside. The plastic becomes brittle and develops tiny cracks that grow over time. Heat speeds the process, and Phoenix attics, where many supply lines run, get extremely hot in summer. Poor installation added stress points, such as crimp rings squeezed too tight or pipe bent too sharply around framing.

Failures often begin at fittings as slow drips or white flaking on the pipe surface, but polybutylene can also split along its length with little warning. A split line in an attic or upstairs wall can release several gallons a minute, soaking insulation, ceilings and floors before anyone notices. That is why PB leaks often turn into large water damage jobs, especially in two-story homes.

Some insurers ask whether a home has polybutylene before writing a policy and may limit coverage or raise premiums. Sudden damage from a burst is often covered, but the pipe replacement usually is not. A record of a completed repipe can make insurance easier and helps when selling the home.

Replacing a single failed section stops the leak but leaves the rest of the aging pipe in place. Replacing fittings helps for a while. A whole-house repipe with PEX or copper ends the problem. In a typical North Phoenix home, a repipe takes a few days with small wall and ceiling openings that are patched afterward.

Get more than one written quote, ask what material and fittings they use, how they route lines, whether patching and paint are included and what permits are needed. Check each contractor with the Arizona ROC license lookup. Ask whether they can schedule around your work and family.

If you are buying a home from this era, ask whether it has been repiped and have the inspector note the pipe type. If it still has polybutylene, budget for a repipe or negotiate with the seller. Finding it before closing beats finding it through a ceiling stain.

Close the main valve, open a low outside faucet to drain the lines, turn off power to wet rooms from a dry floor and photograph the damage. Call a plumber for the pipe and a restoration company for the water. Drying should start the same day.

Drips or white flaking at crimp rings, small blisters on the pipe, damp drywall near plumbing, low pressure and a meter that moves with everything off are warning signs. Any of them means it is time to call a plumber rather than wait.

Gray pipe leaking? Close the main and call (602) 878-5475 for drying.

In the 1990s, a large class action settlement over polybutylene pipe paid for replacements in many homes. The claim period has long since ended, so owners today pay for repipes themselves. That history is why some insurers still ask about PB.

Gray pipe in a 1980s home is a matter of when, not if. Plan the repipe before it plans itself.

Ask a plumber for a repipe quote.

A plumber can confirm your pipe type in minutes.

If your home was built between the late 1970s and mid-1990s, check for gray plastic pipe. If you find it, plan a repipe on your schedule rather than waiting for a burst to make the decision for you.

Questions about polybutylene pipe in phoenix homes? Call (602) 878-5475 to reach a local North Phoenix provider, 24 hours a day.