Do you have Poly-B?
Polybutylene ("Poly-B") was installed in a huge number of Alberta homes from roughly the late 1970s to the late 1990s. In Edmonton, that covers neighbourhoods across Mill Woods, Castle Downs, Clareview, Riverbend, Callingwood, Lymburn, Hairsine and many more, plus a lot of condos from that era.
To check, look at the water lines coming off your hot water tank or under the kitchen sink:
- Grey (sometimes black or blue) flexible plastic pipe, often stamped "PB2110".
- Grey pipe with copper or plastic crimp rings at the fittings.
- Copper stubs coming out of the wall don't prove much; the pipe inside the wall may still be Poly-B.
Not sure? Send us a photo or book a free assessment, and we'll tell you what you have.
Why replace Poly-B?
Poly-B breaks down over time from contact with chlorine and other disinfectants in treated water. It becomes brittle from the inside and can split or fail at fittings with no warning, often at night or while you're away. Many Canadian insurers now ask about Poly-B, charge higher premiums, restrict water-damage coverage, or decline new policies. Replacing it protects the home and usually makes insuring and selling it easier.
How our Poly-B replacement works
- Free assessment: we look at the whole system, count fixtures, plan the routing, and give you a fixed price in writing.
- Protecting your home: floor runners, drop sheets and dust control in every room we work in.
- Repiping: we run new PEX through the most direct paths using small, neat access openings. Unfinished basements make it faster; finished basements are fine too.
- Water back on each night in most homes, so you can keep living there during the work.
- Testing and inspection: pressure testing, plus the permit and City inspection where required.
- Patching: drywall access holes can be patched and prepped for paint by our crew if you choose.
- Paperwork: you get an invoice and completion letter showing the Poly-B was fully removed, which insurers ask for.
Why PEX?
PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) is the modern standard for water lines in Canadian homes. It's flexible, so it can be run through walls with fewer openings; it handles freezing better than copper; it's resistant to chlorine and scale; and it uses fewer joints than rigid pipe. We use name-brand, certified PEX and fittings.