Will Arizona Insurance Replace Polybutylene Pipes?

What Are the Risks of Having Polybutylene Pipes in Arizona Homes?

Polybutylene pipes were commonly installed in homes from the 1970s to 1990s; however, it became clear that they pose several risks to Arizona residents.

• Deterioration: Over time, polybutylene pipes are prone to premature degradation when exposed to certain chemicals added to Arizona's water, such as chlorine. This deterioration leads to the development of micro-fractures and, ultimately, can result in sudden bursts or leaks, causing extensive water damage and costly repairs.



• Reduced Property Value: The presence of polybutylene pipes can decrease the potential home value of a property and make it more difficult to sell. Since polybutylene is no longer an approved material for remodels or new construction in the USA, home buyers will factor the presence of polybutylene pipes into their offers, and some buyers may pass entirely.
• Lawsuits and Insurance Issues: Polybutylene plumbing has been the subject of numerous lawsuits due to widespread failures and resulting property damage. We will discuss this further, along with issues surrounding polybutylene and insurance, for the remainder of the article.

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Will Polybutylene Plumbing Affect My Arizona Home Insurance Premiums?

The presence of polybutylene plumbing in Arizona homes can significantly impact home insurance premiums. In the last year, we have seen a very significant rise in Arizona homeowners reporting issues with polybutylene plumbing and their home insurance.

Many insurance companies consider polybutylene pipes to be higher risk due to their known susceptibility to failure and the potential for costly water damage claims. As such, homeowners with polybutylene plumbing may face higher premiums or even difficulty securing home insurance coverage altogether.

We've heard of policies being canceled with very short notice, leaving homeowners scrambling to get new coverage or quickly complete a repipe.

For more information, we have an article that walks you through what you should know about polybutylene pipes and homeowners insurance.

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Will My Arizona Homeowners Insurance Replace Polybutylene Pipes?

We don't believe there are any situations where a current homeowner's insurance policy would pay for a full or even partial replacement of polybutylene pipes.

Starting in 2012, following the ruling in a lawsuit filed in Arizona between a homeowner and State Farm Insurance ( Guadiana v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co.), most insurance companies added specific exclusions to ensure they would not be required to replace homeowners' polybutylene pipes. Prior to this case, many policies covered water damage plus repairs.

In some cases, insurers may offer endorsements or optional coverage for polybutylene pipe replacement, while others may require homeowners to proactively address the issue through repiping to maintain coverage eligibility and mitigate potential risks.

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My Arizona Home Still Has Polybutylene Pipes: What Should I Do?

If your Arizona home still has the misfortune of having polybutylene plumbing, it's important to consider a full home repipe.

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, without even counting the costs of successive plumbing repairs.

Some homeowners may not have experienced issues with their polybutylene pipes. However, this doesn't mean their lucky streak won't end. Many of our polybutylene repipes are on homes that have gone for many years without problems; however, they called us after making repairs on one or more leaks and were frustrated to find out that our repipe cost was less than their previous damage repair.

Replacing polybutylene pipes with more durable and reliable materials like copper pipe or PEX tubing can help ensure the integrity and safety of your plumbing systems for years to come.

In summary, if you've experienced a poly pipe leak, the best option is unquestionably to do a complete, whole-home repipe. Even if you haven't experienced leaks or other issues with your polybutylene pipes, it's still important to consider repiping.

Feel free to  contact us to schedule a free consultation with one of our local repipe consultants.

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Receive a Free Polybutylene Replacement Quote

Here at Repipe Specialists, we've fully replaced polybutylene plumbing in homes across Arizona using both copper piping and PEX tubing. We continually get positive customer feedback from customers about their overall home repipe experiences. 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 one of our local repipe consultants will explain all your repipe options and provide you with a written, fixed-price quote. Fix polybutylene plumbing issues at the source, repipe now.

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