# Help please ASAP. Polybutyl plumbing issue.



## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Doe anyone here know if there's any place in the Sterling Heights area that would carry polybutylene pipe and fittings and would be open on a Sunday?

First thing this morning my phone rang and it was my sister. Turns out that my nephew that has a trailer in Sterling Heights has a broken water pipe. Well I'm sick as a dog and felt like crap but told her that I'd try to get over there and get it taken care of. Well with my head pounding and spinning at the same time I headed out and tried to find a length of pipe and some fittings to do a repair. I checked at least four places and couldn't find any. I hate working with this stuff but this is an emergency so I've just got to cobble it together and get it working again. I do know of one place that I can get the stuff but it's at M-59 and Gratiot and they close at 1:00 on Saturday and I didn't have enough time to get there before they closed. 

Does anybody here know of a hardware store in the Sterling Heights area that might carry polybutylene fittings and such? If so, please let me know. Maybe I can get it fixed for him tomorrow and not have to wait until Monday.

Thanks so much in advance!

John


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## MSUICEMAN (Jan 9, 2002)

warren pipe and supply (only their fraser store is open on sundays) might be able to help ya out : 
18660 15 mile Rd, at Kelly, just west of Groesbeck (586-294-6810)

other than that, I'm unsure as to ones in the sterling heights area, as I'm more used to around my house near royal oak (where frentz hardware in royal oak or durst in berkley may be able to help ya out).

after the big messes with polybutylene piping, i'm not too sure anyone really carries it much anymore.


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## Michihunter (Jan 8, 2003)

I believe Macomb Pipe hasa 24 hr Emergency number. Depending on how bad you need supplies they may open the door for you. Personally I'd be talking them into copper or PEX.


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Cool thanks!

I'm hoping to feel well enough tomorrow to deal with it. I would have done it today but I was barely able to function. By the time I left the fourth store trying to locate supplies I decided to call it a day and head back to bed. I was worried about even driving the way my head felt.

I'll make some calls tomorrow. Thanks again.

John


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

Use a sharkbite and switch them to pex good luck or you can use the watts fitting also.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

N M Mechanical said:


> Use a sharkbite and switch them to pex good luck or you can use the watts fitting also.


 Pex and sharkbites will get him going on a red hot minute. I am not a fan of pex for potable water, but since it's already in poly, whats the difference? He can worry about it when he has to buy a bra for his moobs.:yikes::lol:


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

I'm not positive but I didn't think that Sharkbite connectors were compatible with polybutylene pipe. I thought that polybutylene has a different ID and OD than standard copper and CPVC. I'll do some research and try to find out. If Sharkbite will work, then that's the way to go. I can get PEX and Sharkbites at Home Depot. 

I had a hunk of PEX in my hands yesterday and HD has a display of connectors that would definitely work. But I couldn't find them anywhere so I asked. The guy in the plumbing department said that they don't carry them anymore. :rant:

Thanks!

John


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Yep just as I thought. Sharkbite connectors don't work with polybutylene.  They're only rated for use with copper, CPVC, and PEX. I believe that the reason is as I stated earlier because that cheap gray polybutylene has a different ID and OD than CPVC.

Oh well, I'm going to make a couple calls but I doubt that I'll find anything today. I'll have to head over to the mobile home supply place in Clinton Twp. and get what he needs to get up and running again.

Ideally I think the entire place should just be replumbed with PEX. But he hasn't got any money for that right now so he'll have to make due with a repair for now.

John


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Good news!

I found what I needed at Stone's ACE Hardware on VanDyke in Utica. It took me all of five minutes to do the repair. It was just a pin hole in the poly pipe. I didn't even have to replace a section of pipe. I just cut out the bad section and insterted a splice connector and it was done. They have all kinds of connectors for PEX/Poly and it was a fast easy fix.

Thanks again for the input!

John


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