# Is this PB? **URL:** \ **Category:** Plumbing Inspections\ **Created:** [April 24, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199 "2009-04-24T15:17:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sfetty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/sfetty/32/331195_2.png) [@sfetty](https://forum.nachi.org/u/sfetty)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 1:22am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/21 "2015-12-30T01:22:42Z")
> [@kshepard](#): > > First introduced in North America in 1984 [according to this](http://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/pex_design_guide.pdf). Nice link, Thanks Kenton! ---
**Author:** ![kshepard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/kshepard/32/59504_2.png) [@kshepard](https://forum.nachi.org/u/kshepard)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 5:10am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/22 "2015-12-30T05:10:29Z")
> [@bboerner](#): > > Mike great find. So would it be fair to say all PB is still grey in color and the stripes were added to tell the two apart? Bottom line no Pex is grey in color or am I wrong? Not if Doug in post #4 is correct. ---
**Author:** ![sfetty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/sfetty/32/331195_2.png) [@sfetty](https://forum.nachi.org/u/sfetty)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/23 "2015-12-31T14:58:59Z")
I’ve seen gray PEX on dishwasher and refrigerator supply lines. ---
**Author:** ![rlewis5](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/rlewis5/32/337040_2.png) [@rlewis5](https://forum.nachi.org/u/rlewis5)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/24 "2015-12-31T15:04:08Z")
PB"most commonly grey in color, but they can also be white, silver, black or blue. Blue PB is used primarily outdoors." PEX"cross-linked polyethylene can be black, blue or red." [http://www.nachi.org/pb.htm](http://www.nachi.org/pb.htm) ---
**Author:** ![rlewis5](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/rlewis5/32/337040_2.png) [@rlewis5](https://forum.nachi.org/u/rlewis5)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/25 "2015-12-31T15:07:10Z")
> [@sfetty](#): > > I’ve seen gray PEX on dishwasher and refrigerator supply lines. I wouldn’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![sfetty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/sfetty/32/331195_2.png) [@sfetty](https://forum.nachi.org/u/sfetty)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/26 "2015-12-31T15:16:49Z")
[http://www.completemobilehomesupply.com/v/vspfiles/photos/pex01-2.jpg](http://www.completemobilehomesupply.com/v/vspfiles/photos/pex01-2.jpg) :🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rlewis5](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/rlewis5/32/337040_2.png) [@rlewis5](https://forum.nachi.org/u/rlewis5)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/27 "2015-12-31T15:22:43Z")
Polyethylene ---
**Author:** ![btoye](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/btoye/32/58400_2.png) [@btoye](https://forum.nachi.org/u/btoye)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/28 "2015-12-31T19:05:42Z")
The lighter gray fixture supply lines sold today in hardware stores are PEX. They used to be the darker gray PB lines, which are still under a few sinks today…time to change them out. I don’t see a lot of PB supply lines in the walls except in older mobile homes. ---
**Author:** ![mbitterman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/mbitterman/32/58274_2.png) [@mbitterman](https://forum.nachi.org/u/mbitterman)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/29 "2016-01-02T19:08:21Z")
That is PB, I have seen grey, black, white and blue PB. Grey is the most common, black was more common in the later years (late 1990’s and on) and used mostly when coming up from a slab, white is rare but I did see it once. Never saw any blue that I can think of. FYI, I have personally found PB in a 2002 home once. ---
**Author:** ![cfletcher2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/cfletcher2/32/179436_2.png) [@cfletcher2](https://forum.nachi.org/u/cfletcher2)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 1:26am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/30 "2023-01-25T01:26:09Z")
It’s polybutylene. ---
**Author:** ![kghajar](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/kghajar/32/194397_2.png) [@kghajar](https://forum.nachi.org/u/kghajar)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 5:14pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/31 "2023-03-07T17:14:25Z")
Hi, I am running to the same issue with the insurance agent mentioning that it was reported in the past as pex pipe and now I put it as poly. See attached ![20230303_102027](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/b/4/7/b4708b2d2b2bffda0e22c9ffd86d8aedeb7a5cea.jpeg) ![20230303_102026](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/c/7/d/c7d639d246bd7fb83e493d4d491c6bbcc23a4cdb.jpeg) ![20230303_102222](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/1/f/8/1f87c3b2dd4331985a863ea82fa5b98ba91c0cd2.jpeg) ![20230303_102319](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/d/9/3/d93a84ce169beaf975b5f31ed24966a4850bbfd1.jpeg) How can we explain to them that gray pupes are poly? ---
**Author:** ![srechkin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/srechkin/32/180448_2.png) [@srechkin](https://forum.nachi.org/u/srechkin)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/32 "2023-03-07T19:25:22Z")
> [@kghajar](#): > > How can we explain to them that gray pupes are poly? First, PEX is a type of poly pipe. I would refer to it as PB (polybutylene), not simply poly. It is PB because the markings say so right in your pic; it shows D-3309, a standard that was used to test PB pipe (tubing). ---
**Author:** ![bcawhern1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/bcawhern1/32/408713_2.png) [@bcawhern1](https://forum.nachi.org/u/bcawhern1)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 8:19pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/33 "2023-03-07T20:19:02Z")
> [@kghajar](#): > > How can we explain to them that gray pupes are poly? Not sure what year the home was built but if you cannot verify it is PB, then crafty words will give them the information they need. The pipe is consistent with PB which was commonly used during the era this home was built. …Then talk about your concerns with PB and the need to be further evaluated by a qualified plumber in order to better understand risks and replacement cost if needed. ---
**Author:** ![mwilles](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/mwilles/32/181480_2.png) [@mwilles](https://forum.nachi.org/u/mwilles)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/34 "2023-03-07T23:54:46Z")
Maybe this will help. There’s enough information on that pipe for me to be comfortable calling this polybutylene tubing. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/7/3/a/73a03392102185d4326bce5b05efe0e303014892.jpeg) ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/b/d/f/bdfda111e022ef7b66531e6a1e40fdca3c27d7de.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![kghajar](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/kghajar/32/194397_2.png) [@kghajar](https://forum.nachi.org/u/kghajar)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 9:25pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/35 "2024-09-21T21:25:35Z")
forgot to reply back and thank you, excelant. ---
**Author:** ![wjones18](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/wjones18/32/397367_2.png) [@wjones18](https://forum.nachi.org/u/wjones18)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 11:57pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/36 "2024-09-21T23:57:11Z")
> [@jfunderburk](#): > > I’ve never seen gray PB Faucet PEX supply lines come in gray, you can buy them at any supply house, home Depot or lowes ---
**Author:** ![rkenney](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/rkenney/32/405447_2.png) [@rkenney](https://forum.nachi.org/u/rkenney)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2024, 12:00am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/37 "2024-09-22T00:00:36Z")
> [@wjones18](#): > > Faucet PEX supply lines come in gray, Not even close to the same size. ---
**Author:** ![wjones18](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/wjones18/32/397367_2.png) [@wjones18](https://forum.nachi.org/u/wjones18)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2024, 2:18am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/38 "2024-09-22T02:18:49Z")
> [@rkenney](#): > > Not even close to the same size. I didn’t say it was, or was just stating PEX comes in gray. ---
**Author:** ![rkenney](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/rkenney/32/405447_2.png) [@rkenney](https://forum.nachi.org/u/rkenney)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2024, 6:04pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/39 "2024-09-22T18:04:22Z")
> [@wjones18](#): > > I didn’t say it was, or was just stating PEX comes in gray. Why? Not in the size the OP was asking about. ---
**Author:** ![wjones18](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/wjones18/32/397367_2.png) [@wjones18](https://forum.nachi.org/u/wjones18)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199/40 "2024-09-22T18:09:48Z")
> [@rkenney](#): > > Why? Well Joe funderbunk said he has never seen gray PEX. I just stated that they make gray PEX supply lines. And here is a picture from ace hardware selling 3/4" gray PEX. ![Screenshot_20240922_130859_Chrome](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/c/9/3/c93b44d454deb43521edf7976665bf11e6585df5.jpeg) [Previous page](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forum.nachi.org/t/is-this-pb/38199.md?page=3)