Repiping · Kelowna & area
Kitec pipe replacement in Kelowna
Kitec was installed in homes from about 1995 to 2007. It looks like ordinary plastic pipe, but its brass fittings can corrode from the inside and fail without warning. We replace it with PEX, planned so your home isn't torn apart.
Anderson Plumbing and Gas Fitting · owner-operated · last updated
Quick answer
For Kitec replacement in Kelowna, call Anderson Plumbing and Gas Fitting at (250) 859-3548. We replace Kitec supply piping with PEX, open only what's needed, patch back, and give you a written record of the repipe.
Kitec is a flexible plastic pipe with an aluminum layer inside, usually orange for hot and blue for cold, joined with brass fittings. Over time the brass can corrode from the inside out, so a fitting that looked fine last year can let go with no warning. When it does, it is usually behind a wall or ceiling.
Kitec was the subject of a US$125 million class-action settlement approved by Canadian and US courts in 2011. Insurers and home inspectors often ask about it, and the usual triggers for replacing it are an insurance renewal, a pre-sale inspection, or a leak at a fitting. Ask your insurer what applies to your policy.
We replace it with PEX, the current standard for supply lines. The job is planned around your home: we map the runs, open only what is necessary, run the new lines, test them, and patch back. You get an itemised invoice and photos showing what was replaced.
How to tell Kitec from Poly-B
- 1Poly-B colour. Usually grey flexible plastic pipe, in homes built from about 1985 to 1997.
- 2Poly-B stamp. Look for "PB2110" printed along the pipe.
- 3Poly-B fittings. Copper or aluminum crimp rings on plastic or brass fittings. The fittings are where it usually fails.
- 4Kitec colour. Orange for hot and blue for cold, in homes built roughly 1995 to 2007.
- 5Kitec fittings. Brass, often stamped "KITEC". A white or green crust on them is a warning sign.
- 6Kitec layers. Cut end shows plastic, a thin aluminum layer, then plastic again.
- 7Where to look. At the water heater, under sinks and beside the main shut-off, where the pipe is exposed.
Illustration for explanation, not a photo of a specific job. Layout varies by model and home.
Services covered
Whole-home Kitec repipes
All Kitec supply piping replaced with PEX and new fittings, so the whole system is done at once rather than in pieces.
Kitec found at inspection or sale
If a home inspector, buyer or lender has flagged Kitec, we confirm what's there and give you a firm quote you can work with.
Leaking Kitec fittings
If a Kitec fitting is already leaking, we find it, open up, and repair it, then talk through replacing the rest before the next one goes.
Invoice and photos
An itemised invoice and photos showing the Kitec removed and replaced with PEX. Ask your insurer what they need to see before the work starts.
How to tell if you have Kitec
- Your home was built roughly between 1995 and 2007
- Orange (hot) and blue (cold) plastic pipe at the water heater or under sinks
- Brass fittings joining the pipe, sometimes with green or white crust on them
- The word "Kitec" printed along the pipe
- Your insurer or home inspector has asked about it
How a Kitec repipe works
What happens, in order.
Check the print and fittings
We look for "Kitec" printed on the pipe and for its brass fittings at the water heater, manifolds, shut-offs and under sinks, then tell you how much of the house it serves.
Find the easy runs
Kitec is often easiest to reach near the water heater, the main shut-off and in unfinished spaces. We route the new PEX through those wherever we can and mark every other opening before we start.
Strata and shared buildings
In a townhouse or condo, check what your strata needs before work starts, since shutting off water or opening shared walls can affect neighbours.
Quote the job
You get a quote for the whole job before anything starts.
Swap and test
The new PEX goes in, the Kitec and its brass fittings come out, and the new system is pressure-tested before anything is closed up.
Patch back
Openings are patched and you get the invoice and photos of what was replaced.
Licence and how we work
Gas contractor licensed with Technical Safety BC (LGA0212697).
- Owner-operated. The owner quotes every job and is on site for the work.
- A fair, upfront price first. You get the price before any work starts, so you can say yes or no before you are committed.
- Gas work under permit. We pull the permit on gas work, and we can put the permit number and our licence number on your invoice.
- Honest repair-or-replace advice. We assess the job first and explain your options in plain language. If a repair makes more sense than a new unit, that's what we'll tell you.
Questions, answered
Do I have to replace Kitec if it is not leaking yet?
You are not legally required to. But the brass fittings corrode from the inside, so a Kitec failure usually happens without warning, and some insurers ask about it or charge more until it is gone. A planned repipe costs less than one done after a flood.
Can I sell a home in Kelowna with Kitec plumbing?
You can. Buyers and their inspectors often flag it, and it can come up in price negotiations or with the buyer's insurer. Replacing it before you list takes it off the table, and you have the invoice and photos to show.
How do I tell Kitec apart from Poly-B?
Kitec is usually orange and blue plastic pipe joined with brass fittings, in homes built roughly 1995 to 2007. Poly-B is usually grey flexible pipe stamped PB2110, installed in Canadian homes from about 1985 to 1997. If you are not sure, we can confirm it on a visit.
How much does Kitec replacement cost?
It depends on the size of the home, how many fixtures there are and how much access is involved, so we do not quote a number sight unseen. We look at the job and give you one firm, upfront price before any work starts.
How much of my house gets opened up?
Only what is needed to reach the runs. We use unfinished spaces and the areas near the water heater and main shut-off wherever possible, tell you where every opening will be before we start, then patch back.
Can I still claim from the Kitec settlement?
No. The claims deadline for the 2011 Kitec class-action settlement was January 9, 2020, according to the settlement administrator (kitecsettlement.com), and it has closed. Replacing Kitec now is at the homeowner's cost, which is why most people plan it around an insurance renewal, a sale or a renovation.
What does failing Kitec look like?
White or green crust on the brass fittings is the early sign: the zinc is leaching out of the brass (dezincification), which narrows the fitting and eventually lets it leak. Pipe that has turned dark or bulged near the water heater has been run hotter than it is rated for.
Was Kitec plumbing banned?
No. Kitec was installed from about 1995 to 2007 and then discontinued after problems with its fittings, and a class-action settlement followed in Canada and the US. Having Kitec is not illegal, but insurers and buyers often ask about it.
Areas we serve
Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country (including Oyama), Vernon and Peachland.
Get an honest answer and a fair, upfront price
We are open 24/7 and tell you honestly when we can be there. You get the price before any work starts.