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I am experiencing leak number 7 at this very minute. Cut out the "bad" section and discovered 2 more hairline axial cracks on the same piece of piping coming off my water heater on the hot side. I have another undiscovered leak as evidenced by more dripping when I turn the water back on, but since it is 11:20 p.m. I can't do much about it right now. I'm going to call a plumber tomorrow to get this sh__ out of my house for good!
Since this all began a couple of years ago (house built in 2003) I have had to rip out parts of 2 walls, ceiling downstairs (4 times, I think), A/C return in same ceiling, floor in walk in closet in kids room twice, and pulled out the water heater once (so far). I think I'm going to do what I read someone else did and just get it taken care of since it needs to be done now. I'm apprehensive though because I don't want to put Pex back in, but the other alternative is rather expensive (copper).
I've found alot of cpi durapex leaking with splits in the pipe. Usually its on the hot water side of the system. This is really simple......the pipe was crap and its defective.
Get it out of your house and keep every stitch of paperwork associated with repairing leaks and the eventual replacement of the pipe. One day you might get a check!!! I feel eventually a lawsuit and settlement will be reached.
I've decided to replace some of our tubing myself and go with CPVC - specifically FlowGuard, which is manufactured by Charlotte Pipe and sold at Home Depot. Even though the problems with the PEX in our house are probably a fluke due to some bad batches sent to our area I just can't bring myself to use it again. I'm going to call a drywaller and ask for an estimate for repairing where I'm going to work. I sent a request to a plumber via the internet to discuss my problem and get an estimate. They responded very quickly so I thought they wanted my business, but then they asked how I was going to pay today. I said "Pay for what?" and they told me $39 for a service call. I said I have never paid for an estimate and that I would call another plumber, AND THEY LET ME HANG UP. Can you believe for $39 they potentially lost thousands? The Charlotte area is a depressing area for finding an honest contractor. I know they are out there, but I have had too many dealing with the ones such as this plumber and it depresses me. I automatically think I'm going to get ripped off.
Is there anyone out there that thinks using CPVC is a bad idea?
if I charged 39.00 for an estimate I'd let you hang up too. I cant let my customers run my business if I want to stay in business. Now about your piping.....I'd use pex and make sure you get the job inspected by your local plumbing inspector........make sure the system gets a hydrostatic test also. USE pex.....rehau or viega.Originally Posted by mdparenti
Only use Uphonor pex, which has the longest and most installation footage without problems, going back many decades in Europe.
If I had 39$ for every estimate I made, I would be a billionaire. Lucky you that you discovered this was a pack of greedy morons.
I have just had my 5th repair. I am now going to have all of the red pex removed from my house. All leaks on the hot water in the middle of the pipe. House was built in 1997. Had 3 leaks a couple of years ago. Then in the last month have 2 more. 1st 3 in the wall, last 2 in the ceiling. After 2nd leak, sent the pipe to Drua-pex, the told me nothing wron with the pipe must be the pressure.....Nothing wron with the pressure. Anyone know of any lawsuits?
CPI Warner durapex Nibco pex pipe splitting
My name is Matt, I am a Charlotte, Gastonia area NC/SC licensed master plumber.. I typed a very lengthy reply to this issue only to have my computer crash and lose the entire post. In short, here is what I know. The pipe in question ALL has a W with a line thru it which stands for Warner. This manufacturer made pipe for cpi durapex and nibco. You may have pipe with any of those logo's on it as well. No one will take responsibilty for this product as the manufacturer has been bought and sold several times. The common thread with the failed pipe is the large W with a line thru it... (Warner)
The important thing to understand is that it doesnt matter where it is installed, if you have pipe splitting in strange locations in your house, you have the problem. Its a manufacturers defect. Under slab, in walls, in crawlspace, in attics... none of that matters. the pipe is bad, its going to fail. It doesnt matter if its near the water heater or 50 feet away, however it does seem that the more often the pipe is heated the sooner it will fail.
No matter what you hear about installation and shipping and storage of this pipe, IT IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT.... period
If your having this problem, contact your insurance company and get them involved. You are going to need their clout to go after the manufacturer. I have seen this issue in a variety of buildings and it isnt going away. its going to get more common and your insurance company is bound to have heard of this. If not, educate them as to what you know.
I will not post my phone number for telemarketers to sales call me to death, but if you would like to talk to me about this issue my contact info can be found at www.plumbmastersllc.com I, or my employees have plumbed thousands of homes in this area and if I can help you in anyway I'll be glad to.
Good luck to all.. Matt@plumbmastersllc
lawsuits will eventually happen. save your receipts and document everything with pics......save the old pipe.
Here is some durapex right here that I removed from a home.
I am a Master Plumber in Atlanta, Ga. and have had my first instance of this issue.
This issue of splitting lengthwise seem's to be associated with cpi pex manufactured @ 2003.
I understand you can get a claim form from Nibco if manufactured after 2006.
I too went through the years of installing then replaceing ploybutulane and for that reason have
stayed away from pex as well.
I prefer to use copper, but it has it's place. Plastic pipe holds up better when using a well
system.
I will keep checking and posting as I learn more myself.
I have been searching the internet for problems involving 'DURA-PEX' & came across this forum...
We bought our home 3 years ago & within the last year our house has flooded 6 times having to replace floors, dry wall, etc...after this last time I called an inspector in & was immediately told that the dura-pex brand of piping is defective & that I should look into contacting a lawyer about it because I wasn't the only person he's come across with this same problem...well, with the help of my insurance company & the plumbing company that inspected my plumbing I've found a lawyer group that is interested in taking the case!!! I'll probably have to do some leg work & get more people on board that has had problems with this brand of piping, but after seeing this forum....I don't think there will be a problem!!! Hopefully a class action suit will follow???
WISH ME LUCK!!!
I am only on second leak on a tract home in Lake Wylie, SC that was built in 2001. Very frustrating on what to do, looks like I will call Chubb Group, for what it is worth and contact my home owners insurance to see what they know. I am really not looking forward to all that dry wall work, AGAIN! not to mention $$.
It's really interesting how almost every single issue is located in the greater Charlotte area. I have just experienced my 3rd leak, right above the water heater in my garage. So far no real damage, but I fear that if I don't replace it all it will keep on bursting. I just don't have $5-$10K to repipe my house (slab!) I wish I'd known about this issue before I bought my house!
So, my question is, has anybody who has posted on this forum that has replaced the first 20 or so feet of Durapex seen this resolve the problem? I've seen several who have said it hasn't, but has anyone been successful with the "patch up"?
I live in Fort Mill/Tega Cay area, and am really worried about what to do on this. It seems like I'm playing Russian Roulette with my house!
Just found and read through this entire thread. We also live in the Charlotte Region and have had 6 Durapex leaks in the last 5 years, our home was built in 2001. Initially did not have expansion tank but even after that was added several years ago we've had 3 more leaks. All in hot water line, all fairly close to hot water heater, and yes we have a hot water recirculator. Interestingly all leaks were under the house in the crawl space (no basement) so no significant home damage. We are now being told we should replace all pex in the house - two neighbors have already done that, one other has only replaced the pipes under the crawl space. Everyone has done it at their own expense - no plumber/manufacturer/homeowner's insurance payments available. After reading all of this, I'm tempted to bite the bullet and replace everything, but I wonder how many have had leaks a far distance from the hot water heater. Obviously just replacing the pipes near the heater would be easier/cheaper than doing the whole house...
Yes, I’m also all in! I purchased my home in Aug 2007 and just this year have started experiencing the exact same problems as stated in the blog. I'm beginning to lose count of the different leaks but somewhere around 5-6 this year. I have neighbors on each side of who have also experienced multiple leaks with the same problems.
Last edited by Tonya Urashima; 12-10-2012 at 12:46 AM.
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