A polymer pipe installed in US homes between 1970 and the mid 1990’s. Leaks and broken pipe problems led to class action lawsuits. PB is no longer accepted by code, and it’s presence in a home can affect homeowner’s insurance availability and rates.
Whenever we discover polybutylene piping on an inspection, we issue the following recommendation:
Polybutylene piping was noted. There have been documented problems and class action lawsuits affecting some versions of this material. The presence of this material in the home may affect your ability to obtain homeowner’s insurance or may affect your rates. We recommend verifying necessary action with your home owner’s insurance company prior to the end of the inspection period. we recommend evaluation by a qualified plumber familiar with this equipment prior to the end of the inspection period and repair or replace as needed.