# Vanguard Polybutylene glued pipe??



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

So I just sold a new water heater on the 6th floor of a condo building, and it's copper to the heater but the rest of the pipe is this glued version of vanguard poly pipe. The building was built in 1989 and I've been plumbing in this area for almost 15 years and is the first I have seen this stuff so it was not widely used in this area. I am replacing the water heater on Monday and I'm a little concerned about this pipe. His main valve is next to the heater which is a ball valve. Have any of you had any experience with this stuff? I'll be connecting to adapters that are glued on but I'm worried this stuff might break when I'm in the process of doing my work. Do I need to be extra cautious and careful? Do the fittings fail the way the crimped stuff does? Any help is appreciated... The last thing I need is a flood on my hands. Sorry no pics I didn't have my phone with me.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Wow...glue and poly in the same sentence. Be afraid, very afraid. :blink:


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

I wish I had taken pics.. I've never seen this stuff before. It's not a hack job it's supposed to be this way. 
It looked scary... Should I have him get his condo association to turn the building off for a safe measure? Also it's all poly.. Fittings and all. All glued. The adapters have stainless stiffeners around them.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Man I wish I could offer an idea. i've never heard of glued poly. Sorry.


----------



## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> I wish I had taken pics.. I've never seen this stuff before. It's not a hack job it's supposed to be this way.
> It looked scary... *Should I have him get his condo association to turn the building off for a safe measure?* Also it's all poly.. Fittings and all. All glued. The adapters have stainless stiffeners around them.


Id shut the whole building down just to be safe.
Being on the 6th floor it is better safe than very very sorry ! 
Id also check with the local building department and find out if that crap is legal, if its not then have the owner sign a release of responsibility before you touch it.


----------



## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

I hate to say it but this might be the one case where hackbites are the best choice to connect to it.

Sent from the jobsite porta-potty


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Mississippiplum said:


> I hate to say it but this might be the one case where hackbites are the best choice to connect to it.
> 
> Sent from the jobsite porta-potty


Well it's poly until about a foot from the heater then it has glued on adapters so connecting to it really isn't an issue. The problem is that it's in a really tight closet and I'm afraid that when I get in there and start moving things around one of the fittings may break. I called him and told him to have the water shut down and I did not feel comfortable doing it otherwise. The pipe has stress bends in it already so it may leak if I just look at it wrong...


----------



## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> Well it's poly until about a foot from the heater then it has glued on adapters so connecting to it really isn't an issue. The problem is that it's in a really tight closet and I'm afraid that when I get in there and start moving things around one of the fittings may break. I called him and told him to have the water shut down and I did not feel comfortable doing it otherwise. The pipe has stress bends in it already so it may leak if I just look at it wrong...


If you know it's that bad talk him into replacing it.


----------



## grandpa (Jul 13, 2008)

Are you sure it is glued??? I thought PB was one of those materials that nothing would stick to. Could it be fusion welded??


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

grandpa said:


> Are you sure it is glued??? I thought PB was one of those materials that nothing would stick to. Could it be fusion welded??


Could be fusion welded...it's new to me so it's possible.. What I do know is that it's more ridgid than traditional poly and looks a bit larger OD wise and it all appears to be glued and is vanguard branded.


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Can you get a pic for us?


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Redwood said:


> Can you get a pic for us?


I'll post one up Monday when I go back.


----------



## beachplumber (Feb 7, 2010)

Could it b some sort of sch 80.
What color glue


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Glue was clear.


----------



## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

beachplumber said:


> Could it b some sort of sch 80.
> What color glue


Schedule affects the ID, not the OD...


----------



## eddiecalder (Jul 15, 2008)

What color is the pipe? Any lines or other markings on it?

I would try to avoid draining the system. Maybe just relieve the pressure. Most problems I have had with old pipe repairs is all the other crap that leaks after the repair. 

A sharkbite on hand might be something to consider if **** goes sideways ( you could always replace it after )


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

eddiecalder said:


> What color is the pipe? Any lines or other markings on it?


The material is identical to poly.


----------



## Mr Plumber (Oct 20, 2011)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> So I just sold a new water heater on the 6th floor of a condo building, and it's copper to the heater but the rest of the pipe is this glued version of vanguard poly pipe. The building was built in 1989 and I've been plumbing in this area for almost 15 years and is the first I have seen this stuff so it was not widely used in this area. I am replacing the water heater on Monday and I'm a little concerned about this pipe. His main valve is next to the heater which is a ball valve. Have any of you had any experience with this stuff? I'll be connecting to adapters that are glued on but I'm worried this stuff might break when I'm in the process of doing my work. Do I need to be extra cautious and careful? Do the fittings fail the way the crimped stuff does? Any help is appreciated... The last thing I need is a flood on my hands. Sorry no pics I didn't have my phone with me.


Could it be grey PVC. I have ran into it a few times on drain lines in some of the first houses that used PVC. I'm assuming they could of used it on water lines as well.


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Not on Hot Water lines...


----------



## SPH (Nov 4, 2008)

Run away.


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Mr Plumber said:


> Could it be grey PVC. I have ran into it a few times on drain lines in some of the first houses that used PVC. I'm assuming they could of used it on water lines as well.


It's def poly. Crazy stuff. I don't think any repair pipe or fittings are even available if something does break. I'm not doing it unless the water is off to the building.


----------



## eddiecalder (Jul 15, 2008)

SPH said:


> Run away.


I agree


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

There is no such thing as a "glued polybutylene system" and even if there was it is not approved by any code. It's FUBAR.


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Redwood said:


> Not on Hot Water lines...


Sch. 40 cpvc maybe?


----------



## The bear (Sep 27, 2012)

Vanguard has a website and they do make some poly pipe. They have tech support on website. You might contact them. None of the current products on website used glue to connect. Might be an obsolete or discontinued product. Hope this helps


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Here are the pics... Everything went smooth, no disasters. It appears to be of the fusion welded variety. Anybody ever seen this stuff?? It was installed in the late 80's


----------



## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

Wow I would have used a hack bite to tie that garbage in. That's my rule with CPVC, I always tie in with hack bites. That stuff i junk anyhow, what's adding more?


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Junk+junk=junk!


----------



## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

Is that stuff grey? I though there was a national recall on that @#$% almost 10 years ago. If I see any grey supply lines, over 3/8" then I respectfully decline the job. Noone wants to hear that their house is plumbed with $#!t. And I don't want to be on the hook for working on that $#!t.


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Certain areas around here are full of it. I love working on it. It's easy to repair, easy to sell a repipe. And we can't warranty any repairs made. Quick and easy. I have a pretty good assortment of copper fittings that I use when the poly fittings explode. But the stuff above is a method I've never run into before, fusion welded. Luckily nothing broke.


----------



## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

mccmech said:


> Is that stuff grey? I though there was a national recall on that @#$% almost 10 years ago. If I see any grey supply lines, over 3/8" then I respectfully decline the job. Noone wants to hear that their house is plumbed with $#!t. And I don't want to be on the hook for working on that $#!t.


Thought it was because of the plastic fittings, not the pipe? I would rather work on poly than cpvc.


----------



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Cpvc eljunk-o


----------

