I've heard bad things about polybutylene ("P.B.") pipe. How can I tell whether I have it in my home?

Polybutylene pipe (also known as "P.B." or "Poly") can be common in homes built between the early 1980's and the mid/late 1990's. Primarily, it was used just for water service lines (the water supply lines entering houses from public water mains). In some cases, though, it was also used for the piping inside homes.    A few years ago, there was a federal class-action lawsuit against plastic fittings used in P.B. piping systems. Because of the lawsuit, P.B. piping is no longer installed in residential or commercial properties. The lawsuit arose over the alleged issue of the piping and fittings failing over time. The claim was that oxidants in the water, like chlorine,  reacted with the Polybutylene causing it to deteriorate and fail without warning.    If you have P.B. piping, whether throughout your home, or only in your water service line and the fittings are gray plastic, you have reason to be concerned. If the fittings are copper or brass, you may be in a better position.The fittings tend to be where most failures occurred.    To determine if you have P.B. pipe inside your house, the easiest place to look is on the top of your water heater, where the water pipes connect or in an unfinished utility room. If you see plastic pipe that looks gray or light blue, then it's probably P.B. and it is probably used throughout your house.    If you're not sure about the P.B. piping situation in your home, and want a professional opinion, give Bowers Plumbing Company a call @ 316-263-1011!   Flexible Pex plastic piping (colored white, red or blue) has generally replaced P.B. piping, and has been determined to be safe and reliable. Current plastic water service lines are made of polyethylene and shouldn't be confused with P.B. piping. Most homeowners don't have much to worry about, but should be aware of the kind of piping they have in their house.