Leaking Aluminum Polybutylene Piping Found by Boise Home Inspector

On a recent Boise Home Inspection I came across a leaking pipe in the crawl space. The home had Polybutylene piping for the pluming. This leak had been going for some time. It was on the hot water line which is the typical place Polybutylene piping has issues. Not only was there leaking water causing damage to the wood in the crawl space, the hot steam was working its way up into the home causing microbial contamination in, under and behind carpet and sheetrock.

Polybutylene plumbing was installed in a lot of homes in the late 1970’s through the 1980’s and lot’s of law suits due to this plumbing. Although Polybutylene has a bad name and should be inspected the plumbing with aluminum fittings, such as in this house, and usually on the hot water line, is usually the culprit.

What happens is the Aluminum bands on the connection points expand on the hot water lines and does not allow for a tight fitting anymore. As this goes on the water stats leaking. Usually in a place that is not noticed or when the home owner is away. This has caused lot’s of damage.