Gidday Plumbers,

Home handyman here, with first home, a 1930's villa. It was moved in the 80's and new polybutylene pipe done. Trouble is, since we bought the house 5 years ago, I've repaired about 8 tiny hairline splits in the pipe. Not the joints, but in the pipe itself, usually right near a clip nailed up under the floors. The last one was in the walls, where it ran through a joist, not fun.

This pipe is Buteline brand, and dark brown in colour. Its definitely not the infamous black Dux Qest.

I'm interested to know if any of you guys have come across similar old split pipe?

I've been just installing crimp couplings, but will have to replace the whole lot I think now. Bit at a time.

Cheers
Chris

Linkback: https://www.plumbers.nz/all-about-plumbing-pipe/81/30-year-old-brown-buteline-pipe-splitting/1915/

Hi ,
The trouble that you will have posting a question on this board is that all the plumbers won't want to tell you to fix your own plumbing.... They think it takes 5 years and an exam to learn how to cut and crimp plastic pipe, similar to being a dentist or a surgeon.
I don't really have a problem with people cutting out pipe and replacing it, as long as you're not  changing pipe layout or tampering with hot water cylinder.

I'm not really sure what your question is. The pipe is old and nothing lasts forever, not even copper or galvanised iron. Cut it out, replace it. Make sure you check your crimps with a crimp tester and cut your pipe square and clean. No problems

It doesn't take years to learn how to cut out buteline, push on a dux secure joiner, replace the pipe and crimp. Literally takes 15 minutes to learn that skill. If a homeowner isn't putting in new pipes I can't see why they can't repair old. You guys do plumbers a disservice by thinking you're the only people who can do this. It seems greedy.

Kiwichris
 I vaguely remember running across some poly type pipe that was brown in colour and had potable water written on and it was not dux quest  crikey must have been about 20yrs ago.
Your on to it tho just get it replaced as you can budget the money to get it done.
I'm not going to get involved with the plumber non plumber debate as i believe no one really gives a flying fig.
Im going for my popcorn now...

I agree with you guys about protecting the trade, but I think that if you go to far you look silly. Like trying to say that only a plumber can change a toilet seat. Its crazy.
Cutting out and replacing a water pipe like for like isn't a huge deal. Most handymen can do it fine. To be complaining about something like this just seems really bitter and twisted.

12cpd points? What a joke. The whole things a joke

Haha, thanks for the replies guys.

Spud, my question was "I'm interested to know if any of you guys have come across similar old split pipe?". I'm just curious about the stuff, and wondering if anyone else had come across it. I'm an engineer, so failure modes of materials is kinda interesting.

I agree, it's old pipe, and done its time, but I would have expected old piping to fail at joints rather than at random point along the pipe. And it's just water in the pipes, not anything corrosive.

Spent last weekend ripping out 1/3 of it, and replacing with new Buteline pipe and fittings, quite satisfying. Interesting that when I had all the old bits of brown pipe out on the lawn, it was coiled and twisted just like it was coming off the reel back in 1980. Even though it had been pinned under the house in straight sections for 25 years, it still remembered it's original shape. Bet that's the problem, it's been under stress for 25 years and developed cracks eventually on the inner radius's.

Anyway, back to the more exciting topic... plumbers vs non-plumbers. For me its fun and satisfying to repair stuff myself, and the parts are all out there at Bunnings, so why not. It's not rocket science. But for a lot of people, they're not interested in this sorta thing, so call the professional. You don't really need to "protect" the industry... if it's complicated or dirty enough, people will call you. If they want to dig up their driveway in 5 places before learning the hard way, thats the way some people operate, haha, I'm probably one of them.

Also, another thing, whats up with the whole Buteline "15mm" vs PWS "16mm" thing? They measure the same ID and OD to me, but labelled as 2 diff sizes. I'm sticking with 100% Bute pipe and fittings, but they look interchageable.

Cheers, yeah, it's all comin out. Well, all except the bits in the walls to the kitchen and laundry sinks. Wall will have to come apart when those split :-)

Nah, its all Buteline stuff, but 25 years old.

Just out of interest, is what I'm doing illegal? Was reading another post where the plumbers were flaming a commercial building owner saying he was doing it illegally. But hopefully that doesn't apply to residential?