Kitec pipe and fittings fail when they are exposed to water because of a chemical reaction known as dezincification, which results in reduced water flow and leaks. Dezincified Kitec pipe and fittings cause damage not only when they burst and leak, but also impair the ability of a home’s plumbing system to effectively provide water to appliances and fixtures.

A residential plumbing system preferred by plumbers and contractors because it is less expensive, and easier to work with than copper, has a damning Achilles’ heel that can be likened to a ticking time bomb: Kitec brass fittings that can fail and leak, putting a home’s structure and contents at risk.

The actual pipe itself, which is known as pex pipe, isn’t the problem. In fact, according to a number of plumbers and contractors contributing to a contractor’s blog, the pipe product itself is pretty good stuff. Rather than a single layer of pex tubing, the Kitec XPA pipe is in actual fact two layers of pex pipe, with a layer of flexible aluminum sandwiched in between. This feature not only affords the pipe added strength, but plumbers report it is easier to work with, in that it will not readily uncoil like standard pex pipe. As well, once the plumber bends the pipe into shape, it will retain that shape.

PlumberHere’s the problem: the brass fittings, which have been reported to fail over time, appear to have a higher concentration of lead in the brass formulation. This, in turn can lead to dezincification, a powdery white corrosion that can build up in the fitting, restricting the water flow and contributing to a failure—either at the fitting connection itself, or at some other point in the line impacted by the restricted flow, increased pressure, or both. -

Kitec Failed Fittings: Like a Ticking time Bomb

February 10, 2008. By Gordon Gibb