Recently, I was interested to see so much attention being given to an old plumbing product called Dux Quest in the media. Dux Quest was an early type of black plastic piping used in houses in the late 1970’s to early 1980’s. Within ten years or so, it was recognised as a serious problem with pipes and fittings bursting all over the country. If you have this product in your rentals, consult an experienced plumber before it causes you some expensive problems!
When I bought a rental property in 2002, a plumber friend of mine spotted the piping and I replaced the Dux Quest plumbing system with copper throughout the whole house. This was not a cheap job but the cost of leaving it to deteriorate in the walls would have been far higher.
By all accounts, insurance companies will not cover claims due to leaks where Dux Quest is at fault if it is known that the product is in the property. Fortunately, if the plumbing can be inspected with a reasonable level of confidence that there are no “hidden secrets”, Dux Quest is easily spotted. What gives it away is the distinctive black piping with “Dux Qest” printed in white lettering on the side!
Just a few weeks ago, another piece of Dux Quest (or Qest) reared its ugly head in a property that I thought was clear of it. The tenant called to say that there was a “drip” in the basement. The ceiling and a wall had some noticeable bubbling and warping. Crawling around under the house, fighting off cobwebs showed up nothing, so throwing caution to the wind, I ripped off the ceiling (which had collected quite a puddle), followed by the wall. Aha… Dux Quest! The culprit was a pin-prick hole that was merrily spurting a jet of water onto the ceiling, which was pooling and running down the wall. Oh, joy! Fortunately, the floor below wasn’t carpeted and the wall and ceiling could be left open to dry out the timbers. Leaks like this can go undetected for days or even weeks as the house soaks up the gradual leak before it finally gives way entirely or becomes saturated.
There is little recourse for property buyers who find that they have Dux Quest plumbing in their rental or home. The warranty on it has long since expired and the company that sold it has gone. The Government insists that it’s not a major problem and does not intend to consider leaky building claims against Dux Quest. Short of being able to prove that the buyer got confirmation from the vendor that there were no issues with leaks, there is no one to run to other than a good plumber.
If you do find Dux Qest in your property, it’s wise not to take it too lightly. Thoroughly inspect all the plumbing and replace anything that looks likely to cause a problem. Even better, inspect the plumbing before buying the property!
