Polybutylene Pipe in Palm Coast Homes: What Buyers and Owners Should Know

Juan Brea

Oct 16

4 min read

If you're buying, selling or insuring a Palm Coast home built in the late 1970s, the 1980s or the early 1990s, there's one question I want answered early: what are the water supply pipes made of? If the answer is polybutylene, it can change your insurance options, your negotiations and your budget. Here's what I look for and what it means for you.

What polybutylene is and when it was used

Polybutylene, often called PB, is a plastic pipe that was used for water supply lines in homes across the country. The class action settlement in Cox v. Shell Oil Company covered PB plumbing installed between January 1, 1978 and July 31, 1995, and the defendants committed $950 million to a settlement fund to pay for replacing pipes and repairing leak damage, according to the American Society of Home Inspectors.

Palm Coast started building in 1969 and the first residents moved in in 1972, so we have plenty of homes built during those years. That doesn't mean every older Palm Coast house has PB. Many were built with other materials, and many have been re-piped since. You can only tell by looking.

Why it matters for Florida insurance

This is where PB hits Palm Coast owners hardest. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state-created insurer, says that dwellings 20 years old or newer with polybutylene piping may be eligible if there are no signs of leaks, unrepaired water damage, disrepair or hazards. But new-business risks over 20 years old with polybutylene piping are not insurable by Citizens on its HO-3, HO-8, DP-1, DP-3, MHO-3 and MDP-1 forms.

Do the math: PB installation ended in 1995, so every home that still has it is now more than 20 years old. For a buyer applying for a new Citizens policy, PB in the house is a real problem, whether or not it has ever leaked. Private insurers set their own rules, so ask your insurance agent before you commit to a house.

Citizens also requires a four-point inspection on applications for properties more than 20 years old. The Citizens four-point form asks what type of supply pipe the home has and whether the plumbing is original, completely re-piped or partially re-piped, with the year. Your inspector has to write down what is actually there.

How to spot polybutylene

According to the official Cox settlement notice, PB pipe looks like this:

Non-rigid and sometimes curved, rather than straight and stiff.
Usually gray inside the house, but it can also be silver or black.
Blue, gray or black when it's used for the underground service line from the water company.
Used only for water supply. It was never used for drains, waste or vent piping.
Not PVC or CPVC, which are rigid white or off-white plastic.
Often stamped with the code PB2110 along the pipe.

The easiest places to check are under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, behind toilets, and at the water heater. Look at the lines going into the shutoff valves. Just keep in mind that a short piece of copper or PEX at the valve doesn't prove the pipe inside the wall is the same material.

What I check during an inspection

When I inspect a Palm Coast home from that era, I look at the supply piping everywhere it's visible and accessible. That includes sink cabinets, the water heater, the garage, the attic when it's safe to get into, and where the main line enters the house. I look for:

The pipe material, along with any markings printed on it.
Signs of a partial re-pipe, where new pipe meets old.
Active leaks, staining, or soft or swollen cabinet bottoms.
Water heater connections and shutoff valves in poor condition.

The free whole-house infrared scan that comes with every full inspection helps me find temperature differences on walls and ceilings that can point to hidden moisture. When I see something like that, I check it with a moisture meter. It doesn't see through walls, but it helps me know where to look closer. I can't open walls during an inspection, so if the visible pipe is mixed or unclear, I'll tell you that plainly and recommend a licensed plumber take a closer look.

If the house has polybutylene

Finding PB doesn't have to kill a deal, but you need to handle it early, not at closing.

Buyers: talk to your insurance agent right away, during your inspection period, and get real quotes before your contingency deadline. If the home needs a re-pipe, get a written estimate from a licensed plumber and talk with your Realtor about how to handle it in the contract.
Sellers: if you already re-piped, find the permit and the plumber's invoice and have them ready. Buyers' insurers often ask for them. If you're not sure what's in your walls, a pre-listing inspection gets you the answer before a buyer finds it.
Current owners: if you have PB and your coverage is in place, keep an eye out for any signs of leaks. Talk to your agent before your renewal, and keep copies of any plumbing work you have done.

Whatever you do, keep your paperwork. A four-point report that clearly says "completely re-piped" with the year, backed by a permit, is much stronger than "I think the last owner replaced it."

Schedule your inspection with Pointer

Pointer Home Inspections is owned by John Brea, a Florida-licensed home inspector (HI16531) and InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector with more than 30 years in construction. Every full home inspection includes a free whole-house infrared scan, a free wind mitigation report and a free 4-point report, and your report arrives the next morning. We serve Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Bunnell, Ormond Beach and the rest of Flagler and Volusia counties, in English or Spanish.

Call (386) 414-7500, email jbrea@pointerhomeinspections.com, or book on our Schedule Now page.