Uponor PEX issues - 5 leaks in 2 months. House built in 2015. Need advice.

[Jeff H Young]

Yes. all the 'same'. Cracks at the expanded end at point of connection. Nightmare for homeowners.

thanks for letting us know really sucks to have a problem like this.

 

[Lcssmu]

if the number of people with problems are represented in this forum the problem might be really small. Take some body like you , you just joined im guessing because you googled something and here you are thios is only 97 posts probebly like 15 people out of 10s of thousand or 100s of thousands of homes . if i had a problem with my brand new car gtrtansmission blowing up Id google it and find like 10 guys that bought the same car complaining of the issue out of a million cars all of us would be on some site together thinking there are millions of POS cars out there. and then we can all find a you tube by some nut job with false claims .
Lcssmu, I dont mean to minimize and sympathy for the inconvieniance I just dont know if the perspective on the problem is accurate and I think there is some either false or misleading info about Uponor.
Tell us about the remedy youy said an entire repipe ? using what type of material brand? type a type b . copper type L maybe a good choice?

Understand your point- I do think it has to be somewhat rare. I have a friend who works for one of the major mass home builders in Denver and they have installed nothing but Uponor for years- and this was all news to him. Don’t get me wrong- I am not happy about my pipe failing and I do think it’s Uponor’s fault- but I’m hoping it was limited to a bad batch and not just an overall product flaw.

As I mentioned we have re piped the entire home, but the plumbers used new clear Uponor aqua pex . In retrospect I would have picked a different product but when we started I was told confidently that it was just the red and blue versions that had issues. Photo attached of just one room. They all look like this.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[JohnCT]

I was told confidently that it was just the red and blue versions that had issues.

I'm not sure anyone can be completely confident that it's confined to the colored pipe alone. Uponor's decision to withdraw the colored pipe for a time (did they?) and sell white pipe with either red or blue printing may have led to speculation it was confined to the colored pipe, and I've also heard Uponor has reintroduced colored pipe (?)

I've also heard that the same problem affects a smaller quantity of white pipe, but maybe there is simply a lot more red and blue pipe sold. (?)

All we can do for now is guess until we get a real answer. I think we'll get that at some point.

John

 

[Taylorjm]

Plumbers that use uphonor seem to be part of one big cult. Replacing leaking pipes and repiping with the same brand product? I mean, where else would that happen? I can't understand why anyone would keep using a product that has been known to leak and the company has been paying for repiping for people's homes. Brand loyalty is one thing, but there's no way I would risk it.

 

[JohnCT]

Plumbers that use uphonor seem to be part of one big cult. Replacing leaking pipes and repiping with the same brand product? I mean, where else would that happen? I can't understand why anyone would keep using a product that has been known to leak and the company has been paying for repiping for people's homes. Brand loyalty is one thing, but there's no way I would risk it.

Let me say that as an amateur that does a lot of plumbing (rentals), I've used Uponor having bought the tools and never had a problem, but I will never use it again until I get an answer to why what is likely a SMALL percentage of Uponor is failing in what seems to be more localized pockets.

The answer to your question is that there are thousands of plumbers who have themselves done thousands of installs of Uponor and have never had a failure.

The amount of Uponor I've used is statistically insignificant, but if I did miles of Uponor without a problem, I'm sure I'd be more prone to discount what's going on.

The web is a great magnifier of problems.

John

 

[Slomoola]

Sorry to hear about the leaks and poor pipe quality. I would personally stay far away from Uponor. Too many American made PEX companies out there to even chance any leaks slash floods. Why risk it???

I have 4 reroutes. Darn near a total repipe. Plumbers used Uponor and PEX B with copper rings. Lots of brass and plastic fittings as well.

Because of threads like these, I now have Sioux Chief PEX A and Boshart Stainless Steel fittings. Love the sweeping stainless 90's they have. All at a fraction of one reroute by a licensed plumber LOL. And let's talk about the new found water pressure and volume of PEX A. Loving it.......

 

[JohnCT]

and Boshart Stainless Steel fittings. Love the sweeping stainless 90's they have. All at a fraction of one reroute by a licensed plumber LOL.

Wow, pricey stuff! I really like the sweep 90s. Too bad they didn't make multi port fittings.

Did you do the repipe yourself?

John

 

[Slomoola]

Wow, pricey stuff! I really like the sweep 90s. Too bad they didn't make multi port fittings.

Did you do the repipe yourself?

John

Not really. Compared to one reroute at $2500 smackers, the job was cheap. I did the 4 reroutes myself. Basically copied what was done by a real plumber. Did put more insulation where possible. I used the Sioux Chief copper manifolds too. All the parts at my retail price came in way under one reroute. Not even close.

Love the flow of PEX A. My old system was Uponor PEX B. Was even upsized pipe size for the poor plastic and brass "constrict a flow" fittings. Huge difference in pressure and flow. There is a video using sweeping 90's compared to PEX B brass. Simple gravity makeup on plywood. As you can guess, PEX A and sweeping stainless fittings took the win using zero water pressure.

Forgot to mention the better freeze protection of PEX A compared to PEX B pipe. Now most of my pipes are insulated in the attic. We had -29F temps a couple years ago. And not the wind chill either LOL. All of this was the best PEX parts I could find.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Understand your point- I do think it has to be somewhat rare. I have a friend who works for one of the major mass home builders in Denver and they have installed nothing but Uponor for years- and this was all news to him. Don’t get me wrong- I am not happy about my pipe failing and I do think it’s Uponor’s fault- but I’m hoping it was limited to a bad batch and not just an overall product flaw.

As I mentioned we have re piped the entire home, but the plumbers used new clear Uponor aqua pex . In retrospect I would have picked a different product but when we started I was told confidently that it was just the red and blue versions that had issues. Photo attached of just one room. They all look like this.

Plumbers that use uphonor seem to be part of one big cult. Replacing leaking pipes and repiping with the same brand product? I mean, where else would that happen? I can't understand why anyone would keep using a product that has been known to leak and the company has been paying for repiping for people's homes. Brand loyalty is one thing, but there's no way I would risk it.

I think its more than brand loyalty , they like the bendability charactoristics of type A , and how you join it with expansion rings and the fact the Id on the expansion fittings are larger than crimp joint type fittings of other brands . my home is 23 years old Uponor never had a problem . Do you think thats unusual ? there are over a million homes built per year maybe 90 percent pex or at least 80 .

 

[JohnCT]

I used the Sioux Chief copper manifolds too.

You said you had numerous copper leaks under the slab, did you ever find out what caused the copper failures before using copper in your reroutes?

My house had bad copper but it was a low pH well water problem. I put in an acid tank but of course it doesn't put the copper back so a repipe was necessary. Even with the acid tank, I did not use any copper.

John

 

[Slomoola]

You said you had numerous copper leaks under the slab, did you ever find out what caused the copper failures before using copper in your reroutes?

At that time, I chalked it up to old copper with an on paper lifespan of 50 years. Just bought an oil filled water pressure gauge. At the time I checked it was 74PSI. That is on the high end. No wonder with 50 year old copper (at that time) and high pressure we had pin holed copper pipes.

Now it looks like I'm in the hunt for a pressure reg and a thermal expansion tank for the HW tank. Read if you install a water pressure regulator, you must install a HW thermal expansion tank.

After my upgrade slash reroutes, I only used copper in their Sioux Chief manifolds. Everything else is their PEX A pipe and Boshart stainless steel fittings.

 

[Tlwong]

@Jessmaster006 - I’m having the same PEX pinhole leak issues in my 2016 built home. I’m out towards Acworth/Dallas area. By chance, would you be willing to share the names of the companies you obtained quotes from. I’d like to give them a call to get estimates also.

I’m in Marietta with the same age house and problems.

Have you filed a claim with Uponor yet?

 

[ddubb76]

Just reached out to Uponor Warranty Claims <warrantyclaims@uponor.com> and am awaiting word.

Uponor has a website dedicated to warranty claims, which is suspect, but take a look at the very first question to begin the process (see the screenshot).

To which I read that as: option 1. send us the damaged section of pipe, which we'll test and probably destroy to prevent any future evidence for a lawsuit OR option 2. we'll conduct a visual inspection and most certainly deny your claim.

It doesn't instill confidence.

We've had 5 leaks. This recent one (today) was the first time we were told about the Uponor defect. The Plumber we had out said there was a recall and it should be warrantied. Our product was installed in 2020 and our first leak wasn't detected until February 2023 when the ceiling fell through and soaked our carpet. Since then they've been pretty consistent every few months. Was wondering how your warranty claim turned out Jessmaster006?

 

[JohnCT]

We've had 5 leaks. ..Our product was installed in 2020 and our first leak wasn't detected until February 2023 when the ceiling fell through and soaked our carpet. Since then they've been pretty consistent every few months.

5 leaks on a four year old install...

My non-professional advice would be to put something else in your house when it gets repiped even though you would have to kick in some bucks. No one knows (or is saying) why Uponor failures happen, so one factor could be water chemistry at your particular location. No way I'd put Uponor back in my house if I had 5 leaks on 4 year old pipe.

Now, I haven't heard of a Uponor failure after a warranty repipe, so it could be a problem that's been fixed or a problem that hasn't yet cropped up. Personally, I wouldn't take that chance.

Best of luck and keep us updated as you move forward.

John

 

[Jeff H Young]

We've had 5 leaks. This recent one (today) was the first time we were told about the Uponor defect. The Plumber we had out said there was a recall and it should be warrantied. Our product was installed in 2020 and our first leak wasn't detected until February 2023 when the ceiling fell through and soaked our carpet. Since then they've been pretty consistent every few months. Was wondering how your warranty claim turned out Jessmaster006?

We have a 1 year warranty thats required by the builder , but when I did new homes (copper) we would go out on homes several years old and not get paid and the major builders would warranty longer I cant remember the details but certain gross failures in the installation were alegedly exempt from the 1 year time limit, so ive always been concerned that shoddy work can come back to haunt even if out of warranty
But your situation 4 year old home thats terrible news 5 leaks. obviously you googled and found this site and now very concerned understandably . how about we pick your brain a little rather than all you one time visiters joining posting and going away.
Your plumber told you your home had a defect on this particular leak? or that all 5 were defects ? Tell us specifically what was the defect and what observations a lot of cracks red pipe , blue or a opaque pipe whitish was it the joints leaking and the rings were cracking?
Have you been dealing with the builder at all ? As for not telling you about the " Uponor Defect" As far as I know Uponor hasent admited to widespread defect or a recall though they might admit to having had a defect and warranty claims.
2020 is one of the newest Ive heard of problems my neighbor hood is very early 2000s Ive never had issue nor heard of them in our tract nearby are a little older with cpvc a lot of those have had leaks.
any way sorry about the issue I understand you probebly dont care to share much as most nearly all just care about getting thiers fixed and could care less about sharing with other homeowners and Plumbers understand whats going on.
good luck with it !

 

[Breplum]

Just this last week I had the local Uponor rep meet two condo owners. He took pipe samples and photographed the production numbers and was helping start the claim. Uponor is directly hiring the contractors who do the entire repipe including drywall. They will only recipe with white Uponor pex….of which there have not been issues. There of course is variability in those crews. I’ve seen one sloppy job where the insulation was re-used, And when shown, Uponor authorized a second crew to come out and redo.

 

[JohnCT]

They will only recipe with white Uponor pex….

Interesting since they still sell red and blue pipe?

Uponor AquaPEX red coils | Uponor

Uponor AquaPEX red coils | Uponor + Uponor AquaPEX® red piping, distributed in coils, is used primarily for hot potable-water distribution, but can also be used in radiant heating and cooling systems.

www.uponor.com

Uponor AquaPEX blue coils | Uponor

Uponor AquaPEX blue coils | Uponor + Uponor AquaPEX® blue piping is used primarily in cold potablewater distribution systems, but can also be used in radiant heating and cooling systems. Learn more here.

www.uponor.com

John

 

[Reach4]

Interesting since they still sell red and blue pipe?

I think we should say they restarted selling red and blue. They stopped for quite a while.

 

[JohnCT]

I think we should say they restarted selling red and blue. They stopped for quite a while.

Possibly, but I've also heard they never stopped making it just that it was in short supply/out of stock due to supply shortages during Covid, but I'm not 100 sure on that. In any case, if they will only repipe in white, what does that say about the red and blue?

John

 

[Jeff H Young]

Possibly, but I've also heard they never stopped making it just that it was in short supply/out of stock due to supply shortages during Covid, but I'm not 100 sure on that. In any case, if they will only repipe in white, what does that say about the red and blue?

John

It could be a reason like wanting all white so that at a glance you can tell if its been repiped , I dont think there can be much conclusion that a guy said they use only therefore red and blue is .... what ? even if it was bad they might have fixed it but want white pipe for quick and easy I.D. I no idea if blue or red is currently made or sold?