Poly-B pipes in BC: how to spot them, why they fail, and what replacing them involves

If your home was built or replumbed between the late 1970s and the late 1990s, there is a fair chance some of its water lines are Poly-B. It was popular because it was cheaper and faster to install than copper. Today it is one of the most common reasons North Shore homeowners call a plumber before anything has gone wrong.

What is Poly-B?

Poly-B (polybutylene) is a flexible plastic water pipe. It was used across Canada for hot and cold water lines, with most of it going in from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s.

How to tell if you have Poly-B

Look where pipes are easy to see:

• beside your hot water tank
• under the kitchen and bathroom sinks
• at the main water shut-off
• behind the washing machine
• in an unfinished basement or crawl space

Poly-B is usually grey, flexible and about the width of a finger. Many lengths are stamped "PB2110". The joints are often held with copper or aluminum crimp rings.

A grey pipe is not always Poly-B, and a few pipes in view do not tell you what is inside the walls. If you are not sure, book a free Poly-B assessment and we will check the piping we can reach and tell you what we find.

Why Poly-B fails

Several things can lead to a Poly-B failure:

• chlorine in treated drinking water, which wears the pipe and its fittings over time
• heat
• installation or connection problems, such as fittings that were not made up correctly

A failure can happen in the pipe itself or at a fitting. Because the wear often starts on the inside, a Poly-B line can look fine right up until it leaks. A slow drip behind a wall can go unnoticed for months. A burst line can flood a room in minutes.

Is Poly-B still allowed in BC?

Poly-B was removed from the National Plumbing Code of Canada in 2005. An existing Poly-B system is not illegal on its own, and many homes still have it. Replacement can still be required, for example by your insurer or because of the condition of the pipes. For most owners, the question is whether to replace it on their own schedule or after a leak.

Poly-B and your home insurance

There is no single rule for Poly-B in BC; each insurer decides. Depending on your insurer, Poly-B can mean:

• a higher premium
• a deadline to replace it
• limited or no coverage for water damage
• a new policy refused until the pipes are replaced

If you are buying, selling or renewing, ask your broker how your insurer treats Poly-B before you decide.

What a Poly-B repipe involves

A full repipe replaces every Poly-B water line in the home with new piping. Here is how we do it:

1. Assessment. We inspect the piping we can reach and plan the new routes. Piping hidden in walls and ceilings is confirmed as the access openings are made.
2. A clear proposal. You see what is included before any work starts.
3. Permits. Required permits are confirmed with the municipality and obtained before work begins.
4. Access openings. We open the walls and ceilings only where we need to reach the lines.
5. New lines. New water lines run to every fixture and connect to your main shut-off and hot water tank.
6. Testing and inspection. The new system is pressure-tested and, where required, inspected before the openings are closed.

Drywall repair and painting are included only when specified in your written proposal. Your quote clearly states what is included.

Poly-B repiping in Upper Lonsdale, North Vancouver.

Our warranty on full Poly-B repipes

Every full Poly-B repipe comes with two separate warranties:

• 15-year Prosafe workmanship warranty. Our 15-year Prosafe workmanship warranty covers plumbing on full Poly-B repipes, transfers free to future owners with the original expiry unchanged, and excludes spot repairs, drywall, painting and other non-plumbing work.
• 25-year manufacturer warranty on qualifying VIPERT PE-RT tubing, when used, subject to CB Supplies' terms. Read the manufacturer warranty (PDF).

Thinking about replacing your Poly-B?

We replace Poly-B in homes and strata buildings across North Vancouver, West Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. In a strata building, the Strata Property Act and your strata plan decide which pipes are common property, and your bylaws also affect who is responsible for maintaining them. Talk to your strata council or property manager before you plan the work.

See our Poly-B replacement service or book a free Poly-B assessment.