Polybutylene (PB) piping or dux pipe or dux qest pipe was introduced as a plumbing material during the late 1970s and was used when building many homes in the 1980s. Over 30-40,000 homes were built with the dux pipe, and many began experiencing problems with the piping.
The main issues are that the plastic piping would split or tear at the joints and down the length of the pipe, causing major leaks. If the piping was exposed to sunlight it also increased the chances of failing, it was recommended that the pipe should experience no more than 30 days of exposure, which included when it sat in the back of a tradie’s van. Additionally, houses with higher water pressure or that have had a new mains pressure cylinder installed, which can raise the pressure of the hot water feed, experience major problems with dux piping.
Due to the outcry of problems from homeowners’ experience with dux pipe, Dux industries offered to repay those who experienced problems, and removed the product from the market. It is unknown how many homeowners took them up on this offer, which means many houses built between 1970-1989 will likely still have dux piping installed. Insurance companies also refuse to cover any damages caused by the splitting or leaking due to the number of complaints across New Zealand.
Identifying what a dux pipe looks like can be difficult as it looks similar to other polybutylene piping. It is black and has “Dux Quest” or “Quest” in white writing along it, but this has been known to rub off, so do not solely rely on this method. It is best to get a professional plumber or inspector to confirm.
Replacing your dux piping is essential to prevent future problems with plumbing in your home. A common occurrence is homeowners only replacing areas with current issues while other areas will inevitably fail in due time. Some new homeowners are often left with a bill due to previous owners doing this. It is best to replace the entire plumbing system to stop this from happening. Here at Southern Plumbing, we can replace your dux piping.