There is a long list of reasons why PolyB or polybutylene pipe might fail, and if you have a leak, it may not be possible to determine the exact reason. There are several individual reasons why it might fail, but sometimes the pipe fails because of a combination of reasons. In today’s blog article, we are going to talk about some of the ways that PolyB fails.
Fittings
Often PolyB fails where there are fittings, crimps, or junctions. It is not clear exactly why. Sometimes this is because it was not properly installed in the first place. Also, all PolyB is not the same; there are varying qualities of it. In any case, this is the first place to look.
Heat
Heat, and, specifically, the exposure to heat is also considered a reason for PolyB to fail. This is problematic since almost everyone uses hot water. This means that anyone with PolyB is at risk for it failing.
Chlorine
Sometimes a high level of chlorination in the water may be the culprit. There are varying levels of chlorination in different places, but scientists believe that chlorine erodes the pipe. If this is the cause of the failure, then the leak could be anywhere on or in the pipe.
UV Light
This is a cause of failure that we might worry a little less about because not everyone has UV light shining on their PolyB inside the home.
No matter how you look at it, PolyB is bad news. If you have PolyB pipe in your home, it needs to be changed out. Leaks could be happening behind drywall that are causing mold, and you are unaware of. Don’t wait until you have a disaster on your hands.
Please call us on the Lower Mainland at (604) 349-5325 if you are wondering if you need repiping. This is our area of expertise. If you contact us, we can examine the PolyB in your house and give you a free estimate for what it will cost to replace it.
Repiping Vancouver is a division of 604FixLeak offering leak detection, plumbing repairs and restoration services in the Greater Vancouver area. Repiping Vancouver concentrates on whole home or office repiping.
If you have any questions about this article or need some help with repiping in your home or office, call us today at (604) 349-5325.
