Poly Leak

I know you don’t know me but I promise that what I am about to share with you could save you thousands of dollars. Although I am willing to help you if you need it…most of the steps you can do yourself.

What is a Poly Leak?

Over the last 30 years, we have been done more repipes in San Diego County than any other company. As you can well imagine we have seen all sorts of water leaks, many of them have been devastating. A good share of them have been Poly leaks.

I can’t stop Poly from leaking or even tell you when it’s going to happen. All I know for sure is it is inevitable.

What I can do is save you some heartache, huge hassles…and quite possibly a lot of money.

Usually people who live in poly homes already know it…but many times I have found they are left to their own devices to figure out what to do about it.

So here are some facts that you may or may not know.

• Polybutylene pipe is gray plastic water supply line pipe that was developed in the 1970. In fact it was touted as the pipe of the future. It cost less then copper and was easier to install. It offered a less costly solution for contractors and homeowners alike…or so they thought.
• In reality any home that was plumbed with poly is like a “ticking time bomb.” It is not a question of if it will leak…but when.
• The class action settlement was one of the largest class action settlements in U.S. history. Shell set aside a billion dollars to handle claims. Unfortunately the deadline for filing claims expired in 2009.

Even though the deadline for filing a claim is past, all is not lost. There are some simple steps you can take to at least partially protect yourself.

• Determine if your home is a “Poly” house. Start with the exterior. Underground water mains are usually blue in color. (They can also be black or gray) The pipe is usually ½ to 1 inch in diameter. Frequently it enters the home near the water heater. Your main shut off is attached to the end of the water main. Make sure you check both ends of the pipe. We have found cases where copper pipe enters the home and Poly is at the meter.
• InteriorPolybutylene used inside your home can be found near the water heater, or coming out of the walls to feed sinks or toilets. Warning.some plumbers installed “stub outs” of copper when exiting the wall. Just because copper is showing does not mean you do not have Poly. You may have to make a small hole in the drywall so you can see the connection.
• Read your Insurance Policy Thoroughly-Make sure you know what is covered and what is not covered. For instance many insurance companies will not cover a slow leak. The claim was denied by the insurance company because the standard HO-3 homeowners’ policy specifically “Excludes” a loss as the result of a water leak over an extended period of time. Ampm Insure.
• Call Your Insurance Agent and Confirm Your Coverage Once you have read through your policy and confirmed what is covered and what is not covered, double check with your agent to confirm that your understanding is correct.
• Turn the water off at the Main When Leaving on Vacation. Imagine if a pipe burst the first day of a two week vacation. What kind of devastation on you going to face when you return home. (There are some leak detection products in the market that automatically shut off the water if a leak occurs. If you are unable to afford a Repipe at this time…that might be an affordable option.)

The final solution is where I can help you. That of course is to repipe your home. The whole process would only take about an hour of your time.

Even if you are not ready to proceed right now…you’d know exactly where you stand and you’d have enough information to make the right decision for you. No high pressure sales pitch…just accurate information…you decide.

You can call our office and ask for Brandi. Our number is 619-449-3852 or you can call toll free 800-530-1102.