Posted by Tony Conner, TBP Industrial Steam Systems on January 19, 1998 at 18:35:22:
In Reply to: Polybutylene caused 2 boilers to go in 9 years. Help ! posted by J Boulanger on January 07, 1998 at 11:15:48:
: According to all of the experts and technicians I have had, the polybutylene plumbing in my 9 year old home is the reason I have just installed my 3rd furnace. The class action suit people say no help because the pipes don't leak.
: I cannot keep installing new furnaces at this rate. Can anyone give me any information or suggestions?
J: I have asked Dan Holohan about this question. He says that PB pipe has in fact been used successfuly for radiant in-floor heating for years. However, the oxygen diffusion rate changes as the temperature increases. Radiant systems only run at 120 deg F., so there is no problem. At 140 deg F., PB starts to let in a lot more oxygen, and this could, in fact, corrode a boiler. A lot of people think that pipe is just pipe. "Who'da thunk it." The more I learn about pipe, the more I realize how much more there is to know! Tony