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Canadian Leader in Poly B™ Replacement Calgary.

Urban Piping Ltd. is the foremost provider of Poly B™ replacement services in Calgary. Our service acovers the whole gamut, from re-piping, drywall repair, to paintwork, and is applicable to both commercial and residential buildings.

Trust the Company who Pioneered The Complete Poly B™ Replacement Process.

Ask About Our 48 Hour Poly B™ Replacement Service. (403) 988-3801

The Only Poly B™ Replacement Company with an in-house Drywall Department.

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Calgary's Only Dedicated Poly B™ Replacement Company.

Unlike many of our competitors, we do not hire outside contractors. Our Poly B™ replacement specialists have decades of combined experience strictly in the replacement of Poly B™ Piping. We have done more Poly B™ replacement work than any other plumbing company in the country. Our A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, as well as the hundreds of 5-star reviews we have received for Poly B™ replacement alone, are a testament to our workmanship and customer service.

Contact us today for an over-the-phone estimate in minutes.

We will pull the blueprints of your home remotely using our software and provide an accurate price estimate over the phone.

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Expert in Plumbing Services
We require your address in order to pull blueprints of your home to quote the required work as accurately as possible.

What is Poly B™ piping?

Poly B™ piping, known as polybutylene, is a type of grey plastic plumbing pipe most commonly used for residential plumbing works between 1985 and 1997. Poly B™ was common in North America, almost all new builds and renovations that took place during these years used this type of pipe. Poly B™ has been banned due to extensive water and property damage caused by it’s high failure rates.

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What does Poly B™ Piping look like?

If your home was built or renovated between 1985 and 1997, it is crucial to have your home inspected for possible Poly B™ pipes. The first way to identify Poly B™ piping is by its colours. Polybutylene piping is made in blue, silvery gray, and black colours. Blue pipes were used mainly for cold water, while black and silvery gray were used interchangeably for indoor and outdoor purposes.
UrbanPiping PolyB look 800x400 1 | Urban Piping

Why does Poly B™ Piping fail in Calgary?

When it was initially brought into the plumbing industry, Poly B™ was appreciated for its cost-effectiveness and malleability. However, it did not take long before the molecular imperfections were revealed and the tubing started to be faulty and burst. This caused large amounts of water to leak and resulted in property damage amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The molecular links inside Poly B™ Piping are precarious and make the pipe liable to cracking under certain environmental pressures. In addition, the following conditions can hasten the deterioration of the piping.

What is the Failure Rate of Poly B™ Piping?

There is no doubt that Poly B™ piping will eventually fail; the only unknown is when it will happen. As there are a variety of factors that contribute to the degradation of the pipes, it is not possible to accurately predict the timeframe. Some elements that play a role in the likelihood of failure include:

If the poly b pipes were manufactured in a warm environment, the probability of breakdown would be higher instead of a colder one. It is well established that extreme temperatures are a big factor in the deterioration of these pipes. In Calgary the temperature takes drastic changes throughout the year contributing to a faster deterioration of the piping. 

Was the piping moved in a sealed semi-trailer or an uncovered flatbed? Exposure to UV light during the transfer boosts the likelihood of the poly b piping failing.

It was common for the plumbers to keep the piping outdoors, exposed to the sun, until they had to fit it into a house. This could make the piping susceptible to environmental elements and the ultraviolet rays of the sun, leading to rapid deterioration.

Homebuilding firms in Calgary that partner up with bigger contractors usually deliver all the materials for a whole group of houses simultaneously. These components are usually stored on the driveway or within the garage while they go through each house one by one. The Poly B™ Piping might have been exposed to UV radiation and variations in temperature for a long time before they're eventually installed in the home, resulting in a higher rate of failure.

The higher the potency of chlorine in a water system, the faster the pipe will deteriorate.

Contact us today for an over-the-phone estimate in minutes.

We will pull the blueprints of your home remotely using our software and provide an accurate price estimate over the phone.

Taking all of these components into account, it is not possible to precisely estimate when a polybutylene piping system might break down. We are aware that the very first leak is a warning that the entire house’s piping system is about to give way. The longest we have seen it last for is 34 years, and the shortest amount of time we have seen it fail is within the initial 12 months. This is the situation we are facing when it comes to Poly B™ piping.

Poly B™ Replacement Process for Calgary Home Owners

  1. Protect Your Home: First, we plastic wrap and cover your home where work will take place. This includes covering all flooring and furniture so your home and belongings are completed protected during the Poly B™ remediation process.

  2. Begin Poly B™ Replacement: Then we begin the remediation process by accessing pipes through the drywall. Old lines are pulled out of the walls and ceiling where necessary and replaced with new piping.

  3. Restore Your Home: After the remediation of the Poly B™ pipes is complete we then fix all holes in the drywall and ceiling where necessary as well as paint match your home’s paint to its original colours.

  4. Clean Your Home: Then we clean the house and ensure that it is in the same condition that is was upon our arrival. After a walk through with yourself checking over our work we then settle up with you and your Poly B™ issues are no more.

The Poly B™ Replacement Options for Calgary Homes

Installing a new plumbing system into a building requires adequate knowledge about the right material for performance, efficiency, safety, and durability. Different types of pipes are available for piping purposes, and they each come with a different estimated life expectancy. Here is a list of available home piping options. Urban Piping only offers the highest quality Class A PEX Piping in All Pipe Replacements.

Class A PEX Piping (High-Grade)

Class B PEX Piping (Mid-Grade)

Class C PEX Piping (Low-Grade)

Contact us today for an over-the-phone estimate in minutes.

We will pull the blueprints of your home remotely using our software and provide an accurate price estimate over the phone.

Lawsuits, Litigation, and Insurance

When was Poly B™ Banned?

There are 2 different dates on which polybutylene piping was banned.
  1. In 1997, the National Plumbing Code, which has jurisdiction over all plumbers in Canada, declared Poly B™ to be off-limits. It was not permitted to be employed in any building that needed a piping system.
  2. In 2005, the Canadian government officially prohibited the use of Poly B™. It was due to a high number of cases that were taken to court against Shell and Dupont for destruction of property and structure caused by broken Poly B™ piping in many dwellings. It was reported that the pipes were not functioning correctly after a short period of installation, causing damage to walls, water damage, and expensive repairs. Ultimately, Shell and Dupont lost the lawsuit.

Poly B™ Lawsuits and Litigation History

A series of class-action proceedings resulted in Poly B™ becoming one of the most expensive pre-settlement legal battles on record in North America. The combined claims added up to billions of dollars.

Poly B™ Insurance Coverage

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2005 that Poly B™ piping was not something that insurance companies had to insure. So, even though many companies previously offered leniency to current customers and new clients, they have begun to retreat from that policy due to the financial losses they have incurred. Now, if an insurance company does offer to cover a home with Poly B™ piping, it is usually with a high premium and high deductible for the first leak. Therefore, customers should be cautious.

Real Estate and Poly B™ Piping

The real estate industry in Alberta is thriving due to cost-effective housing prices and record-low interest rates. Despite this, homes are being sold regardless of their Poly B™ piping, which could lead to surprises for buyers and sellers who are not aware of the potential risks associated with this type of piping.

Buying a Home with Poly B™ in Calgary

If you are looking to purchase a house and you find one with Polybutylene installed, it can be disheartening. Generally speaking, houses from the 80s and 90s are in good condition and located in desirable areas with great features. A quick repair should make sure that the home’s plumbing system is up-to-date and functioning properly.

It needs to be noted that sellers do not usually replace the piping before they put their property up for sale. Prior to signing the contract with the seller, ask your real estate agent to tell them to either:

Selling a Home with Poly B™ in Calgary

If you are trying to offload a residence with Poly B™ piping, you could encounter a knowledgeable buyer who is cognizant of the Poly B™ problems, and this individual could be unable to procure house insurance when they purchase the home.

There are typically three options

Poly B™ and Home inspectors in Calgary

A home inspector with the proper credentials should be aware of the potential risks associated with Poly B™ piping and should not use fear-mongering tactics, but rather inform the homeowner of the risks and provide advice on the available options for managing them.

Poly B™ Contractors in Calgary

Poly B™ remediation or replacement requires the services of expert craftsman in four professional trades:

  1. Plumbers
  2. Tapers
  3. Painters
  4. Texturers

Responsibilities of Poly B™ Contractors

With all the different tradespeople connected to a project, there is a potential for a variety of troubles, including: a lack of communication, tardiness, incorrect estimates, incomplete jobs, missed timeframes, subpar quality, and insurance issues.

Why is the Experience so Important?

When replacing Poly B™ piping, it is highly beneficial to hire a contractor with experience as they will be able to provide invaluable insight and complete the job correctly.

Insurance and Poly B™ Contractors

It is of great importance to employ a legitimate and insured Poly B™ replacement specialist to remediate the Poly B™ piping in your residence. When recruiting a contractor, make sure that the following requirements are fulfilled:

Warranty and Poly B™ Contractors

When employing a Poly B™ contractor, request a warranty, a guarantee that the job will be completed satisfactorily. All piping should be exchanged with the least possible Class A PEX piping, which comes with a 25-year warranty from the maker.

Contractors should have a two-year minimum warranty on all other materials and labour. Ask yourself: “Is the contractor in a position to take care of the warranty job?” Smaller companies are not usually in a position to pay for these issues, leading to huge problems for the homeowner. Insurance companies usually do not cover warranty work, and contractors must be financially sound enough to bear the costs.

Referrals and Reviews with Poly B™ Contractors

When employing a Poly B™ contractor, request referrals and examine former customers’ appraisals. Do your research to ensure that you are content with the referrals given to you as numerous companies nowadays set up faux reviews and phone references.

Workers should have photographic proof of the projects they have completed beforehand, case studies on their website, and Poly B™ substitution reviews online. It has been noticed that a lot of phone call referrals are staged in the industry.

Do not solely depend on phone call referrals. Put your trust in HomeStars, Google, and the BBB for certified reviews by verified consumers discussing Poly B™ replacement.

Poly B™ Pipe Replacement Guarantees

The contractor must ensure they guarantee the elimination of all Poly B™ pipes from the house. It has been reported that some contractors have left pieces of the pipe in hard-to-access spots.

Poly B™ Pipe Replacement Time Frames

The replacement of the piping in regular residences can be finished within three days. For a full Poly B™ renovation job in the usual homes, it will take a team of experienced technicians ten days to complete it.

Prepping a Home for Poly B™ Replacement

The home should be properly prepped, following the steps below:

a. All flooring of the home should be covered. Dent proof ram boards should be used to cover any hardwood flooring.
b. All furniture should be removed or covered with plastic.
c. Rooms that do not require work in a home should be taped off to prevent dust from entering.
d. A 4 stage hepa filter should always be set up and used to mitigate drywall dust throughout the remediation process.

Cleaning a Home After a Poly B™ Replacement

It is the responsibility of the contractor to return the home to its original condition before commencing the remediation project. Replacing a home’s piping system can cause a great deal of dust and particles, leading to a chaotic environment. Contractors should make use of at least 4 stage HEPA filter systems to reduce the amount of dust. After completion of the work, additional cleaning may be necessary as dust can settle over time. Making the correct preparations beforehand can help lessen the amount of additional cleaning required.

Project Management Software & Documented Process

The contractor must utilize project management software to keep track of the remediation process, including pictures of the work that is being done.

Contact us today for an over-the-phone estimate in minutes.

We will pull the blueprints of your home remotely using our software and provide an accurate price estimate over the phone.

Request A Free Quote

Expert in Plumbing Services
We require your address in order to pull blueprints of your home to quote the required work as accurately as possible.

Get A Free Copy Of Our E-book

The Complete Guide to Poly B™ Piping And how to Hire a Qualified Contractor

For a limited time, we’ll send you a FREE copy of our comprehensive guide to Poly B™ Piping. This exclusive guide contains vital information that will help you better understand Poly B™ piping and show you exactly what to look for when hiring a Poly B™ contractor.

This is a must-read for any homeowner, realtor, or home inspector that is currently dealing with Poly B™ piping. Get your free copy now. This is only available for a limited time.

UP Poly B™ Guide 800x1101 1 | Urban Piping

Poly B™ FAQ Videos

Here is our Poly B™ Replacement Newscast as well 31 Poly B™ FAQ videos to help our customers with all of the commonly asked questions we typically get asked about Poly B™ Piping.

Poly B™ FAQ

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Services

Our Commitment To Quality Service Is The Key To Success

We Love Plumbing

At Urban Piping Ltd., we love what we do and it shows through our attitude and the service that we provide. We have been providing fair prices to Calgary, AB and the surrounding areas since 2008.

100% Committed To You

Our friendly plumbers always treat your home as if it were their own and we strongly believe in honest, up front, hassle free pricing. Our plumbers are punctual! We understand nobody wants to wait around all day.

Our People Count

Every journeyman plumber on staff at Urban Piping is licensed, background checked, insured, professional, and drug tested. We only employ the best and the brightest plumbers to ensure the highest quality service for our customers.

Poly B™ PDF Resources

A collection of downloadable and printable resources about Poly B™ Piping for our customers.

Our Poly B™ Replacement Work

We are the only call that you need to make if Poly B™ Plumbing has been found in your home. Our team of Poly B™ plumbers have done more Poly B™ Replacement work that any other plumbing company and all work is done in house by Urban Piping without the use of subcontracting any services. We currently operate in Calgary, Edmonton, Burnaby, and all surrounding areas. If you have found Poly B™ Piping in your home please do not hesitate to give us a call.