Mobile Home Plumbing Repair Tips:                     

 Polybutylene (Gray Pipe):

 Mobile homes for many years were plumbed with a grey flexible pipe called polybutylene usually designated as "PB". There has been a lot of controversy over this pipe and even lawsuits. The biggest problem I have found is not the pipe, which over time and other factors can break down "PB" and cause leaks, but the crimp type clamps that are used at tee's and couplings. They will over time tend to spread open and cause leaks.There are no glues that I know of that work on PB. There are some easy fixes for this. There are "snap on" or "compression type" tee's and couplings that will easily install in place of the tee or coupling that is leaking. These can be found at almost any DIY, hardware and mobile home supply stores. They will also adapt CPVC to PB to PEX or Copper. They will also let you adapt between different sizes of pipe. They work so well and are so simple to use you might be amazed. See example of a 1/2"  "tee" below. If you can't get these locally call Maria at 803-438-9571 and she will ship them to  you ASAP.

 Low Water Pressure:

 Water coming out of the your faucets real slooooow? Take the aerator of the end of the faucet and check for obstructions. I find this problem especially where the home is on a well, but will also occur on a public water system. Take the aerator apart and clean it well. You will see that there is a piece in there that is uaually white in color with a lot of little holes in it, this is the flow restrictor.This piece is to cut down on water flow for conservation purposes. Some flow restrictors have a separate screen. I have seen some people leave the flow restrictor out and just put the screen back. I'm not sure if it is violation of federal law, like cutting a tag off a pillow. See example below.

Water Heater Repair or Replace:

 Yes, in some cases you can replace a mobile home water heater with a "regular" home type. Check your local codes. You will notice that the big difference is that the cold water in and the hot water out are on the sides as opposed to the home type that are on the top. This can be easily over come by extending the cold and hot line to reach to the top.You can use the couplings mentioned above to do this. If you have the "PB" pipe you can convert to CPVC and be done with it. This will require the purchase of some couplings, elbows and the proper pipe cleaner and glue for the CPVC. Be sure to read all instructions for the glue and the new water heater. It is a good idea to allow any glue to dry for the maximum amount of time that you can. Also be sure that the water heater is of the same voltage and current rating of the the circuit now in place or upgrade to match the new unit.Remember to turn off the water supply and power before you start. If there is no cutoff valve on the cold line at the water heater this would be the right time to install one.

 Of course you can repair the old one if you can troubleshoot the problem. The problem I see most often is the bottom element burnt out, if you have a two element system. There are different types of element mountings. You may have to get the proper type of wrench to get it out. If the water heater is fairly old I would recommend replacing it. The other problem I see is the thermostat. These can be tricky to troubleshoot if your a rookie. If you don't replace the unit it would be a good time to flush out the old unit to clean out lime and etc. since you will need to drain it anyway to change the element. You do this by attaching a garden hose to the spigot at the bottom and running water through the water heater via the still attached cold water line until the out going water is clear. Below is an example of replacing the mobile home style water heater with a standard one. Be sure the electrical supply is adequate for the water heater. This one was changed from 20 to 30 amps 240 volts with #10 wire and a double pole 30 amp breaker.

 Water Heater Leaks:

Remember to turn off the power!

 The spots you might want to check if you see any signs of water are around the cold water inlet, the hot water outlet, and around the elements. If you do not see any leaks around these areas then you can only suspect that the internal tank  has developed a leak in which case the water heater needs replacing. Be sure to repair any floor damage before installing a new water heater.

Questions or comments? Please feel free to contact me.