Have you purchased or are perhaps considering purchasing a home that has previously been fitted with Poly B pipes? If so, there are some things you definitely need to be aware of. In this article, we’re going to break down what they are, why you may need to worry – and what action you can take.

What is Poly B?

Poly B (short for polybutylene) is a flexible, inexpensive, plastic material that has historically been used in a number of applications in construction and industry. Initially, Poly B was seen as a low-cost replacement material for metal and other more intensive plastic polymers and was installed in approximately 700,000 Canadian homes. Polybutylene pipes were manufactured from 1985 until 1997 before being eventually banned from use in residential and commercial construction in 2005. 

Why It Was Banned in Canada

Poly B was banned due to the severely increased likelihood of leaks occurring, 10 to 15 years after installation. The reason for this is that the material will break down comparatively quickly in the presence of chlorine, while other more traditional pipework is left unaffected. This occurrence is particularly prevalent in Victoria BC, due to the higher levels of chlorination used in municipal water treatment.

Issues With Having Poly B Pipes in Your Home

Having polybutylene plumbing in your home means that you have a higher chance of leaks, flooding, and costly repairs. Compounding the problem, Poly B will break down even quicker when exposed to higher temperatures, such as those found in hot-water pipes or which pass by boilers, attics, and other areas of increased temperature. If you use a lot of central heating and hot water, you are headed for leaking pipes and other pipe issues further down the line.

When it comes to domestic installations of Poly B, these problems are a “when” not “if” situation. 

How Poly B Pipes Affect Your Home Insurance

Insurers have understandably recognized that homes that have been fitted with polybutylene plumbing are at significantly higher risk of making claims and have begun either refusing claimants or will insure at much higher premiums. Many have started inspecting homes that were built during the height of the Poly B boom and are informing potential buyers about the insurance situation. So what can be done?

Unfortunately, there is no easy quick-fix solution – a complete Poly B abatement is required. Regardless of how it is approached, this will require a large proportion of the entire plumbing in your home to be replaced, along with all of the removal of drywall (and repainting) that entails. The whole project can be expected to take a number of days.

Let Us Help

When you are ready to take the step and have a quote estimate for your Poly B system, Wade Roberts Plumbing can help guide you through the whole process. Due to the prevalence of this issue in the BC area, we are all too familiar with this unfortunate situation, but as a result, we have the experience you need to deal with the problem.

Call Wade Roberts now at 250-883-7545 or contact us through the form on our website for a quote.