Is There A Polybutylene Plumbing Lawsuit?
We don't know of any current polybutylene lawsuits, but there has been a lot of prior litigation around polybutylene plumbing.
The most significant historical litigation was against Qest (aka Quest) - a brand name given to a type of polybutylene pipe. The Cox v. Shell Oil class-action lawsuit culminated in close to a billion dollar settlement in 1995, being paid out to thousands of homeowners over subsequent years.
In 2017, a new polybutylene class-action was filed with Hurt v. Shell Oil, which attempted to include homeowners left out in the prior 1995 settlement. This was dismissed in 2018 "with prejudice". This means that it can't be refiled, making it a lot harder for owners of Qest piping and polybutylene to file new lawsuits.
We do a steady stream of polybutylene pipe replacement (probably several dozen polybutylene repipes per week) - and it's been a long time since we last heard of someone having any legal recourse in getting their polybutylene plumbing repipe costs reimbursed.
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Can I Still Receive Compensation If I Have Polybutylene Plumbing?
If you did not participate in prior litigation involving polybutylene plumbing, the deadline to receive compensation in those lawsuits has long past.
The final deadline for eligibility to receive compensation from the The Cox v. Shell Oil lawsuit passed a number of years ago. If you still have poly plumbing and did not participate in prior polybutylene class-actions, your legal options are now very limited.
We aren't lawyers, and aren't providing any legal advice here. However, we have seen the repercussions of people who still have polybutylene plumbing in their home and how it has caused significant financial issues.
What Should I Do If I Have Polybutylene Plumbing?
If you still have polybutylene plumbing, it's important to consider repiping - even if you haven't experienced leaks, and the likelihood of future polybutylene lawsuits becoming more slim.
Polybutylene pipes have a known history of failure and can be a significant liability for homeowners. The presence of polybutylene plumbing can also cause significant problems if you are trying to sell your home.
In our experience - once you have one polybutylene leak, you are likely facing a systemic issue, and other leaks will follow. The damage caused by a polybutylene leak can easily exceed the cost of a whole-home repipe. This is without even counting the costs of successive plumbing repairs.
If you still have outdated polybutylene plumbing - the best option is to do a complete, whole-home repipe to avoid any possible future pipe failures.
Receive A Free Polybutylene Replacement Quote
Here at Repipe Specialists, we've fully replaced polybutylene plumbing in thousands of homes across the USA with modern PEX tubing or copper pipe. We continually get positive customer feedback from customers about their whole home repipe experience. We often exceed their expectations on:
- Speed: Our repipe crews typically complete a repipe in a day, returning on another day for wall patching.
- Convenience: Through our One-Stop Repipe™ Process, we handle everything from permits, to wall patching, to inspections.
- Cleanliness: Our crews are trained to protect your home while working (we cover all surfaces with protective sheeting), and to clean up fully at the end of each day.
- Peace of Mind: Repipe Specialists is a fully licensed plumber in every state we operate in, and we back all of our repipes with a lifetime warranty.
- Financing programs: To help take the sting out of unplanned repipe expenses, we offer several financing programs.
- Price: As a specialist that performs hundreds of repipes a week, we can deliver high quality repipes at a lower cost vs generalist plumbers. We have an article that covers repipe cost factors in detail. Our quotes typically range from $4,500 to $15,000 depending on the size and complexity of your project.
Schedule a free in-home consult, and a local estimator will explain all your repipe options and provide you with a written, fixed-price quote.