Polybutylene Pipe in Glendale Homes

Polybutylene is a flexible gray plastic supply pipe used in many Arizona homes from about 1978 to the mid-1990s. It was cheap and quick to install. Over time, problems appeared, and builders stopped using it.

Look near the water heater, under sinks and at the main shut-off. Gray, sometimes blue or black, flexible pipe stamped PB2110 with copper or aluminum crimp rings is polybutylene. Modern PEX is usually red, blue or white and stamped PEX.

Chlorine and other disinfectants in treated water slowly attack the plastic and its fittings from the inside. The pipe becomes brittle and cracks. Heat speeds this up, and Glendale attics get very hot in summer.

Failures often start as drips at fittings, but the pipe can split without warning. A split line in a wall or attic can soak a lot of drywall, insulation and flooring before anyone notices.

Central Glendale tracts from the 1970s and 80s and early sections of Arrowhead Ranch are the most likely places to find polybutylene. Downtown homes are older and more likely to have galvanized steel; west Glendale homes are newer and usually have PEX or copper.

Some insurers ask about polybutylene and may limit coverage or raise premiums. Sudden damage from a burst is often covered, but the pipe itself usually is not.

Replacing one failed section stops the leak but leaves the rest. A whole-house repipe with PEX or copper ends the problem. In a typical single-story Glendale home it takes a few days, with small wall openings patched afterward.

Get written quotes that list material, routes, patching and permits, and check each plumber with the Arizona ROC license lookup.

If you are buying a home from this era, ask whether it has been repiped and have the inspector note the pipe type. Budget for a repipe if it still has polybutylene.

Close the main valve, open a low outside faucet, turn off power to wet rooms from a dry floor and photograph everything. Call a plumber and a restoration company for the water.

Know where your main valve is and make sure it turns. Close it when you travel. Put leak sensors near the water heater and under sinks.

Polybutylene was promoted in the 1970s and 80s as a modern, low-cost replacement for copper. It went into hundreds of thousands of homes across the Sun Belt, including many Glendale tracts. By the 1990s, failures had become common enough that a large class action settlement paid for replacements in many homes. That claim period ended long ago, so owners today pay for repipes themselves, and some insurers still ask about the pipe when writing a policy.

In single-story homes, supply lines often run from the water heater up into the attic and drop down through interior walls to each fixture. In two-story homes, lines run between floors above living rooms and kitchens. Exposed pipe is easiest to see at the water heater, under sinks, behind toilets and at the main shut-off, but most of the system is hidden in walls and ceilings where a failure can run for a while before anyone notices.

Drips or white flaking at crimp rings, small blisters on the pipe, damp drywall near plumbing runs, low pressure and a meter that moves with everything off are all warning signs. Any of them means it is time to call a plumber rather than wait for a burst. Treat a drip at a PB fitting as urgent, because these joints can go from a small drip to a full break quickly.

Most families stay home during a repipe. The plumber marks routes, cuts small openings at each fixture and along the route, pulls new PEX or copper through, connects everything and tests it. Water is usually off for parts of the day and back on at night. Afterward, the openings are patched, textured and painted. Ask in advance who handles patching and painting so there are no surprises.

Gray pipe leaking or burst in your Glendale home? Close the main and call (623) 624-9995; drying can start before the repipe is scheduled.

If your Glendale home was built between the late 1970s and mid-1990s, look for gray pipe. If you find it, plan a repipe on your schedule.

Questions about polybutylene pipe in glendale homes? Call (623) 624-9995 to reach a local Glendale provider, 24 hours a day.