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Kitec tubing

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Simply Rad
Simply Rad Member Posts: 184
in THE MAIN WALL
Hello all
I have a customer that is selling their home. During the home inspection the inspector alerted the buyer of the Kitec tubing I installed for the homes radiant floor heating system. I installed the PAP(pex-al-pex) non potable tubing for the radiant floors. I have been told by the supplier that the problems were with the potable tubing and fittings and had nothing to do with the heating PAP? Is this information correct.?

regards Jeffrey
Jeffrey Campbell

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  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
    edited August 2018
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    I just received a similar call from a friend who is trying to sell his house. He has baseboard heat and Kitec PEX.
    Here is the class action notice. The website referenced is not active.
    @Mark Eatherton will likely have more knowledge on this one.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • GroundUp
    GroundUp Member Posts: 1,907
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    I have seen 4 different cases of non-potable Kitec bursting in a slab. The class action suit includes the heating tubing, or at least it did.
  • Simply Rad
    Simply Rad Member Posts: 184
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    I found this site
    http://www.kitecsettlement.com/faq.cfm

    Interesting but everyone I have spoken with, Supplier, Rep, contractor, here in Colorado all said it had to do with the Potable tubing. But the information I am reading all state any Kitec tubing. Oh boy.......I have alot of systems out there with this product. I have not heard of any problems though here locally.
    I called Ipex about it and they basically said they couldn't talk about the product and gave me a contact who still sells the product. I called him and he said he has had few problems in 30 yrs of selling the product? Anyways this is an eye opener. Should I tell all my customers about it??????
    Jeffrey Campbell
  • GroundUp
    GroundUp Member Posts: 1,907
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    There's not a whole lot you can do now, it's not really your fault if there is a factory issue with the tubing you installed over a decade ago- that's where the settlement comes into play. I had read it was sort of batch specific. Like 3 of the 4 I mentioned were installed by the same guy, in the same year. The 4th one was across the country, but also the same year (2005). If you have a really heavy conscience about it, go ahead and mention it to the customers. But beware, if you tell them about it they're a heck of a lot more likely to be paranoid about it and raise a fuss. The morals of the subject are tough, but again it's not really your fault
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,139
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    Certainly if any HO Googles Kitec it is pretty well documented.

    The fittings were the main issue with acidic water mostly, dezinicification cause leaks in the fittings.

    If the tube showed black spot it would usually indicate corrosion in the aluminum layer.

    Any PAP should ideally have an isolation gasket between the brass and end cut on the tube where the aluminum exposed. I think the electrolysis started there.

    One other concern was the tiny o-rings on the fittings, what is the life expectancy with harsh water conditions.
    Around here it was the most common tube that outdoor boiler installers, maybe the constant high temperature was the cause of o-ring failure?

    For the most part it was potable water systems, but I have seen samples of failed hydronic tube.

    Sometimes the failure is not obvious to the naked eye.

    Made great chandeliers, however. Tom Simonson, Montana built this one.



    I would say, especially in Colorado realtors would be away of both Entran and Kitec homes.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    Ironman
  • Solid_Fuel_Man
    Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
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    Than chandelier is halarious! I've seen some great copper pipe railings, but that takes the cake!
    Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
    Ironman
  • Simply Rad
    Simply Rad Member Posts: 184
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    I love that picture of the kitec chandelier. I have a house I install a RFH system in 12 years ago. The owner is selling it and the first buyer bailed because of the home inspector brought up the Kitec. I have 50 homes with Kitec PAP tubing in them installed from 2000-2010. So far no failures. The owner was proactive and filed under the class actions and basically now have a 1 year warranty, as the class action lasts until 2020(owner thought it could go on longer than 2020 also). I told the owner that is great news...to have a one year warranty after the product has been installed for 12 years. I feel the product is top notch and doesn't have problems in a closed loop system. I now use Watts PAP tubing. my 2Cents
    Jeffrey Campbell

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