A.Dan Friedman
responds: Polybutylene (PB) piping has been
used since the mid-1970s for water supply and
in-house supply piping. Two types of PB piping
failures have led to class-action lawsuits against
PB plumbing manufacturers: leaks due to improper
installation and leaks due to defective
materials.
Early failures were found in Celcon
acetyl-plastic insert fittings (tees and elbows)
used for connections. A portion of the insert
fitting is inserted into the pipe and then clamped
in place using an aluminum or copper crimp ring
over the outside of the pipe. Leaks have also
occurred with the more recent copper and brass
insert fittings. While the earlier fitting failures
were attributed in part to defective material, the
PB industry blames current fitting leaks on
improper installation.
The industry has taken a number of steps to
reduce failures, which include detailed
installation instructions, a redesigned crimping
tool, a "go/no-go" gauge, and a suggestion to use
metal insert fittings and annealed-copper crimp
rings. These recommended methods and materials have
significantly reduced problems, and some builders
are still installing PB piping in new
construction.
But a second problem may be looming. Testimony
from a class-action lawsuit, a 1991 60
Minutes program, and an installation
instruction booklet all indicate that the piping
itself may crack and leak in some conditions. PB
piping may be particularly vulnerable where higher
levels of chlorine are present in the water supply.
If you’ve installed this material in
environments where there are elevated levels of
chlorine, the risk of future leaks is greater.
A PB-related class-action lawsuit has been
filed, and preliminary approval of the settlement
has been granted. You may want to reduce your own
risk and improve relations with your customers by
warning them of your concern, and providing them
with contact information regarding the class-action
lawsuit. If a qualifying leak has already occurred,
deadlines for submitting claims are as early as
August 21, 1996.
For more information, contact the Industry-PB
Technology Center at 800/338-7732, or for
information about the class-action settlement
agreement, the Consumer Plumbing Recovery Center at
800/876-4698.
Those with World Wide Web access can view the
class-action notice at:
http://www.hunt.com/polybutylene/pipe/notice.htm
and the class-action proposed settlement at
http://www.hunt.com/polybutylene/pipe/propset.htm.
To see photos that will help you identify the
materials involved, see
http://www.hunt.com/polybutylene/pipe/pipe.htm.
Dan Friedman operates American Home Service Co.,
a residential and commercial property inspection
service in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.