Polybutelyne plumbing leak repair help

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Stinger35

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Oct 15, 2019
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I have PB plumbing unfortunately and today I heard a hissing sound and the drywall was wet in my garage where my main water line comes in. I cut the wall and found a pin hole leak in the top PB line right at the junction fitting spraying a thin line of misty water.
I wanted to know the best way to fix this please and also confirm the top PB hose is 3/4 (incoming house water line)? I was going to get a sharkbite 3/4 PB to copper fitting and cut out the leak, put the sharkbite to the PB side but was not sure if the sharkbite can connect to the 3 way fitting tee directly or if have to replace the entire fitting tee (3/4 x 1/2 x 1/2) I believe. I appreciate any advice and guidance to get this done. Thanksleak.jpg

Any help is much appreciated.
 
You will need to replace the tee. The sharks will be expensive but its the easiest. You may be able to find a 3/4x1/2x1/2 shark tee and cut as close to the fitting as possible. if no play it wont work.
 
Yeah, it's just too bad they don't make SharkByte tee's that fit Polybutylene Pipe.

You would have to use couplings for the transition first.
 
And you could get around the issue of no play in the polybutylene by lengthening the bottom pipe into a longer pex loop.

Sort of like what you see with a typical braided supply line to a toilet, the excess length is looped.

The pex loop would give you the movement you need to make the final connection.
 
Shouldn't be a problem with play, with having to add a coupling on each end then any other material piece of pipe and finally a tee.
 
And now you know why there was a law suit against that manufacture. The crimp ring would cut into the piping because of vibration. I believe it is all from the Shell/Dupont lawsuit from years ago.
 
I am surprised you are able to insure the home..... here in Florida, the insurance companies I checked with would not write a new policy for a home with PB piping....
 

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