Dux Quest Plumbing in NZ Homes: What Buyers Need to Know
If you're buying an older home in New Zealand, particularly one built or renovated during the 1970s or 1980s, there is one type of plumbing worth knowing about: Dux Quest (or Dux Qest) plumbing.
During an inspection of any older house its one of the first things we look for. And despite being withdrawn from the New Zealand market decades ago, we still regularly identify Dux Quest pipework during building inspections in Taranaki. Sometimes it remains connected and in use. In other properties, sections have been disconnected or replaced but old Dux Quest pipework is still visible beneath the house, in ceiling spaces or around former plumbing connections.
What is Dux Quest plumbing?
Dux Quest is a type of plastic plumbing system introduced into New Zealand in the late 1970s and early 1980s as an alternative to traditional copper plumbing.
Made from a type of plastic called polybutylene it was relatively inexpensive, lightweight and easy to install, so it was used in thousands of New Zealand homes until it began to catastrophically fail. Reactions with the chlorine in our water supply and exposure to heat accelerated the deterioration of the plastic. Drip! Drip!
Over time Dux Quest plumbing became brittle leading to cracks that would slowly leak, joints snapping and worst of all, sudden failure and flooding.
A plumbing failure inside a wall, ceiling or floor cavity can allow water to travel considerable distances before anyone notices it.
By the time staining or dampness becomes visible, water may already have affected framing, insulation, flooring or interior linings.
Dux Industries subsequently withdrew the product from the New Zealand market in the late 1980s.
Identifying Dux Quest plumbing
What should home buyers know about Dux Quest?
This is where a pre-purchase building inspection becomes particularly valuable.
Walking through an open home, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to identify the different plumbing materials, and most of a house’s plumbing is hidden from view anyway.
A building inspection can identify Dux Quest pipework or evidence of previous plumbing replacement.
If Dux Quest is identified during a pre-purchase inspection, buyers should establish whether the pipework remains operational and consider obtaining advice from a licensed plumber and, if necessary, a quote before purchasing.
It's also important to speak with your insurer and lender.
Help! My Home Has Dux Quest and I Want To Sell!
First, don't panic.
Finding Dux Quest doesn't necessarily mean water is about to start pouring through the ceiling on settlement day. It does mean the plumbing deserves further investigation.
In some homes we inspect, Dux Quest pipework has already been disconnected and replaced, but sections of the original pipe have simply been left in place. If that's the case, confirmation from a licensed plumber that the old pipework has been completely isolated can provide valuable clarity and is important information you MUST pass on to your agent and prospective buyers.
If it remains live, we recommend discussing replacement options and costs with a qualified plumber.
Is Dux Quest plumbing illegal in New Zealand?
The presence of existing Dux Quest plumbing does not automatically mean a house is illegal or that the owner is legally required to replace the entire plumbing system.
Dux Quest was withdrawn from the market before New Zealand's current Building Code became fully effective in 1993. The Building Code is not retrospective, meaning existing houses aren't automatically required to be upgraded simply because standards or accepted building products have subsequently changed.
We Still Find Dux Quest in Taranaki Homes
Despite Dux Quest having been withdrawn from sale decades ago, it hasn't disappeared from all homes.
At Inform Building Inspections, we still encounter Dux Quest during pre-purchase building inspections throughout New Plymouth and Taranaki.
Sometimes the plumbing is still operational. Sometimes the house has been partially re-plumbed. And sometimes we're looking at disconnected remnants of the original system.
The important thing is knowing it's there.
A comprehensive pre-purchase building inspection can help identify visible building defects, moisture concerns, older building materials and other issues that may warrant further specialist investigation before you commit to purchasing a property.
Buying a property in New Plymouth or Taranaki? Book a pre-purchase building inspection with Inform Building Inspections and know more about the property before you buy.
