Polybutylene Pipe Replacement for Florida Insurance
Citizens will not write a new homeowner policy on a house over 20 years old with polybutylene plumbing. Here is why the pipe fails and what replacing it involves.
Polybutylene is a plastic water supply pipe used widely in homes built from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s. The Citizens 4-point form asks about it by name.
What the insurer says
The form records the supply pipe material and asks whether the house has been repiped completely or partially.
Citizens’ rule: homes over 20 years old with polybutylene are not eligible for new homeowner policies. Homes 20 years old or newer may be eligible if there are no signs of leaks, unrepaired water damage, disrepair or hazards.
For a seller, that means the buyer may not be able to bind a policy, and the closing waits on it.
Why the pipe fails
A 1996 NIST study tied premature failure of polybutylene pipe and acetal fittings to degradation “highly accelerated by the presence of the chlorine in drinking water.” The cracks started on the inside surface of the pipe, where nobody can see them.
What replacement involves
Replacing polybutylene means running new supply lines to every fixture, which means opening walls or ceilings to reach them, then patching what was opened. We pull the plumbing permit and handle the final inspection. Once it is done, the 4-point form records the house as repiped.
Because we hold the plumbing and general contractor licenses in house, the repipe, the drywall and the permit are one job. See plumbing, and pay at closing if the house is listed or under contract.
Common questions
Will Citizens insure a home with polybutylene pipe?
Homes over 20 years old with polybutylene piping are not eligible for new Citizens homeowner policies. Homes 20 years old or newer may be eligible if there are no signs of leaks, unrepaired water damage, disrepair or hazards.
How do I know if my house has polybutylene?
The 4-point inspection form records the supply pipe material, so the report will say.
Why does polybutylene fail?
A 1996 study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology tied premature failure of polybutylene pipe and acetal fittings to degradation accelerated by chlorine in drinking water, with cracks starting on the inside of the pipe.
Other items on the report? See what fails a 4-point inspection.
