Dr.Pipe Drain and Plumbing Services in Ottawa > Ottawa Plumber Blog > Kitec Plumbing > What is Kitec Plumbing, and What is Wrong with It?

What is Kitec Plumbing, and What is Wrong with It?

What is Kitec Plumbing, and What is Wrong with It?

Professional Kitec Plumbing Replacement Services in Ottawa

Kitec plumbing, once popular for its flexibility and affordability, has been found to be prone to leaks and failures due to its composition. If your home or property has Kitec plumbing, it’s important to replace it to avoid costly water damage and maintain compliance with insurance requirements. Our experienced team in Ottawa specializes in Kitec plumbing replacement, offering efficient, reliable solutions to upgrade your system with durable, modern materials. Trust us to handle the transition seamlessly, ensuring your plumbing system is safe, efficient, and built to last.

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Sammy L.

​I had a minor plumbing panic when the tip of my toilet cleaner bottle fell off and got stuck deep in the drain. I was worried about a major clog and called Dr. Pipe Drain and Plumbing. He was incredible— He talked me through exactly what to do over the phone and reassured me that the piece was small enough that it wouldn't damage my pipes. I truly appreciate his honesty and expertise instead of him just trying to sell me a service I didn't need. I’m very grateful for the help and will definitely call them again for any future emergencies!

Celine S

Ron from Dr. Pipe came to unclogged my bathtub. He was very efficient and showed up on time. I really appreciated his honesty and he was very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend Dr.Pipe's services. Thanks for a great service!

Response from the owner:Hi Celine. Thank you for your business. Happy Holidays. Sincerely

Robert Mackay

Had our new kitchen faucet installed. Excellent work at a fair price.

Response from the owner:Thank you Robert for your business and review. Call us any time if you need plumbing service. Sincerely, Ron and Max

Aïda Baroudi

Ron was on time, very nice and professional. Gave me options and a good price. I will use them again.

Response from the owner:Hi Aida. Thank you for the great review. Let us know if you need more plumbing services.
Sincerely, Max and Ron

L H

I interviewed several plumbing companies for my complete drain replacement project before selecting "Dr. Pipe Drain and Plumbing" to do the job. I was reassured by the respectful communication style of Maxim (owner), and his willingness to listen to my preferences, based on what I had learned prior to committing to this project. Scheduling was flexible, and the job was completed in a very timely manner. Andryi (main plumber) was extremely experienced in this type of work, and was very tidy in his approach. He was able to access all of the original drain pipes by creating "partial" trenches, and working through those areas under the concrete slab, without having to dismantle certain finished parts of my basement. All of the concrete debris and aggregate (stones) were placed in feed bags while the job was being done, which kept the mess at a minimum and facilitated the process of back filling once the work was done. I was given a choice of styles of back water valve, with the advantages of each shown to me. All in all, the entire process was a comfortable experience, despite the "invasive" elements of such a project. Andryi, Ron and Max were all very pleasant to deal with and I would highly recommend this company for any plumbing work.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your business. It was our pleasure to work for you. Sincerely, Max, Andryi and Ron

Adam Shapiro

Honest and clear explanation. And a good price. Thanks.

Response from the owner:Hi Adam. Thank you for your business. Let us know if you need more service. Sincerely Maxim, Andryi and Ron

Sunny Gurm

I highly recommend these guys! A note from my wife who was very appreciate of the work done by Max and Ron:

"Let me set the stage. I am a new mother attempting my best to function on the small pockets of sleep that are offered randomly daily. We were also mostly exclusively cloth diapering at the time. I was heavily dependent on my dishwasher and laundry machine. Enter in a plumbing emergency! The downstairs laundry sink starts backing up and overflowing. Turns out it's going to require breaking the concrete and replacing some pipes.

This stressful situation could have easily turned out to be a nightmare but it was handled with such care and professionalism. Highly recommended their plumbing services! Honest hard working professionals. I was extremely grateful for their help and expertise! They were efficient and amazing. 5+ stars" – Dominique

Response from the owner:Thank you for your business Sunny. Let us know if you need more plumbing services. Sincerely, Ron and Max

Sami M

Dr. Pipe did replacement underground drain inside of the basement for my house with a very reasonable price. They did it very professionally and took pictures during the job for me. Thanks Dr. Pipe

Response from the owner:Hi Sami. Thanks for your business. Let me know if you need more plumbing services. Sincerely, Max, Ron and Andriy

Doug Willard

The work done by Dr Pipe was timely and of the highest quality. I could not imagine a more accomodating group to work with. Max was extremely helpful when dealing with my insurance company. His intervention got the insurance company to make the maximum payment the policy could cover. Without it the insurance company was only offering about 1/3 of their final payment. I have no reservations recommending Dr Pipe to anyone. I will always call them first for any of my needs in the future.

Response from the owner:Thank you Dough for your business. It was pleasure to help you with your drain underground pipe relining project and I glad that insurance company cover almost all cost. Sincerely Max, Andryi and Ron

Patrick Lynn

Maxim and his team were very helpful in setting up our flood prevention system. They were very detail oriented with their design and explained it to us so that we understood the system. They were patient and supportive with rebate applications, and were available to start work very quickly. They communicated well and the work was done well. Hopefully we'll never have to use our sump pump and backwater values but I am confident they will protect us. Very happy and would recommend Dr. Pipe and Osmaks plumbing

Response from the owner:Hi, Patrick. Thank you very much for your business. Sincerely, Max, Andryi and Ron

Know the risks before purchasing a home with Kitec Plumbing in Ontario

We receive many inquiries from property owners looking to buy or sell homes with such plumbing fittings. Unfortunately, Kitec plumbing problems are widely known and can be extremely costly. 

We’ll tell you how to identify Kitec plumbing and what replacement options are available in Ottawa. The great news is you have many affordable choices for replacing such plumbing systems!

Most Common Kitec Plumbing Problems

Kitec plumbing has a bad reputation for leaking and failing early on, leading to burst pipes and significant water damage. People joke that a Kitec system will either leak or be bound to leak, but a repair bill of thousands of dollars isn’t funny.

Widespread Kitec plumbing issues across Canada and the United States forced manufacturers to create a substantial settlement fund of $125 million to compensate property owners for their plumbing replacement costs.

Kitec Plumbing — A Bad Alternative to Copper Pipes

Properties built between 1995 and 2007 often had Kitec plumbing installed as an alternative to copper pipes.

Copper pipes are proven to be long-lasting and durable, but Kitec plumbing system manufacturers marketed their polymer pipes as being more affordable.

The major Kitec plumbing issues occur because of the PEX pipe design with soft aluminum and brass fittings. 

Manufacturers claimed that the design was resistant to corrosion. However, it rusted out too quickly and even affected the quality of drinking water and the functioning of heating systems.

Investigations into Kitec plumbing problems discovered that this type of plumbing contains too much zinc in its brass connectors between flexible aluminum pipes and inner and outer layers of plastic PEX pipe.

The high zinc content in the brass fittings caused “de-zincification” in the plumbing system, and hot water or high-pressure conditions only increased the risks.

This Type of Plumbing Was Recalled Due to Many Kitec Plumbing Issues

After 2007, a recall of Kitec plumbing systems happened across North America. 

Before the recall, unsuspecting property owners could find Kitec plumbing fittings for sale, and some properties had Kitec plumbing renovations done between the mid-1990s and the early 21st century.

How to Identify Kitec Plumbing In Your Home

It’s not challenging to identify Kitec plumbing in your home. The first thing to look for is the “Kitec” or “KTC” stamp, a company-specific fitting.

Generally, Kitec plumbing lines are blue for cold water lines and orange for hot water lines, but there were other colors, so a licensed plumber can help you confirm whether it is.

The location of this plumbing fittings is a basement mechanical room, often near the hot water tank or underneath a sink or vanity in your home or property.

While a Kitec plumbing replacement might have water pipes connected to an electrical box, such plumbing should never be connected to electrical systems because its plastic materials are a fire hazard. A large yellow sticker on your electrical panel box should show this.

The Risks of Buying Properties with Kitec Plumbing Systems

An experienced real estate agent should be able to identify any property with a Kitec plumbing system. They should also advise you of such plumbing issues before you buy the property because a plumbing replacement is costly. 

Whenever you’re in doubt or have any questions regarding Kitec plumbing, contact a licensed plumber for more information. Your peace of mind is priceless!

Why Replacing Kitec Plumbing Is Your Best Option

Here are our top seven reasons why Kitec plumbing replacement in Ottawa is the best idea.

Always feel free to contact Dr. Pipe and Plumbing and speak to our licensed plumbers for more information!

#1. Kitec Pipes Can Fail Fast

The lifespan of this plumbing can be short. Some such plumbing systems began to fail in 2005, only ten years after their introduction, which demonstrates their poor lifespan and quality and why they weren’t a great investment.

#2. Orange Kitec Pipes Risk Significant Heat Damage

The orange-colored Kitec hot water pipes (or any hot-water Kitec plumbing) can only withstand temperatures up to 82 degrees Celsius. Most water heaters operate at higher temperatures, so Kitec hot water pipes can experience costly pipe leaks and breakage.

#3. Kitec Brass Fittings Often Fail Badly

The copper-zinc alloy in brass Kitec plumbing fittings is poorly designed, and dezincification causes erosion from oxygen and moisture. As zinc oxide builds up, it can obstruct water flow, increase pressure, and cause pipes to burst.

#4. A Kitec Pipe Rupture is Often Severe

While leaky pipes are common, many Kitec pipe failures are severe, causing significant flooding and much more expensive water damage.

#5. Kitec Plumbing Issues Include More Expensive Maintenance

Because this plumbing degrades so rapidly, property owners face more frequent plumbing issues with maintenance and repairs. Since there’s no effective method to make this plumbing last longer, a plumbing replacement is often the best solution.

#6. Properties with Kitec Plumbing can be Harder to Finance

While obtaining a mortgage on almost any property is possible, getting an affordable mortgage on a home or property with such plumbing is often challenging. The truth is that most reputable and affordable lenders don’t want to face the risks.

#7. Insurance Companies Don’t Like Kitec Plumbing Issues

This plumbing has been proven to fail so often that many reputable and affordable insurance companies limit coverage or deny insurance on a property with this plumbing system.

Dr. Pipe Drain and Plumbing is Your Kitec Plumbing Replacement Specialist in Ottawa

Any property owner with such plumbing in Ontario needs to know the serious risks of this plumbing and choose an affordable and easy-to-maintain plumbing replacement.

We can help you choose a type of plumbing that prevents future leaks or pipe bursts, gives you peace of mind, and increases your property’s value.

If you have any questions about this plumbing, our experts are always here to help!

Dr. Pipe Drain and Plumbing in Ottawa serves Barrhaven, Nepean, Kanata, Orleans, Carlington, Old Ottawa South, Vanier, Gloucester, and Embrun.

Kitec Plumbing Systems—Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Pipe Drain and Plumbing of Ottawa specializes in Kitec plumbing replacement in Ottawa and throughout Ontario. 

You can trust our licensed, experienced professionals and count on our transparent pricing. Our high-quality parts and service are guaranteed!

Is it necessary to replace Kitec’s plumbing lines?

It’s important to replace Kitec plumbing fittings because delaying this plumbing replacement is too risky. 

The most common risks include flooding and significant water damage, which are costly plumbing problems to fix. These plumbing problems can also pose health risks, worsening a bad situation.

What’s the Average Kitec Plumbing Replacement Cost?

Although Kitec was promoted as an affordable alternative to copper pipes, it can be expensive to replace.

Because most plumbing systems are hidden behind walls and underneath floors, replacing this plumbing can cost thousands of dollars. Still, it’s more affordable and far less of a headache to address such plumbing issues now—here’s why.

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