Polybutylene plumbing (PB or PolyB)
is a
flexible, easy-to-cut, gray, plastic pipe with
joints secured with either epoxy or insert fittings and
metal crimp rings. PB was introduced in the late 1970s
for use in residential plumbing. Less expensive in material cost
and easier to install than traditional copper plumbing, PB has been
used to pipe approximately six million homes in the U.S. However,
there is considerable concern surrounding PB's
potential to leak. Though there is no
specific data to indicate an inherent problem with the pipe itself, a
number of homeowners have encountered minor to severe leaks, which has
led to various
lawsuits against
PB manufacturers in the U.S.
Check the links below for
more information on PB.
