Chloramine Degradation of Elastomers
Tips for Home Inspectors

Just when you thought it was safe to leave home, something else pops up—it must be 2020! Actually, the issue of chloramine degradation of elastomers has been around since before 2020, but it is now getting more exposure. I am seeing it during home inspections and my plumbing consulting assignments.
Many municipal water suppliers use chloramine (also known as monochloramine) as a disinfectant instead of chlorine. The problem we are discovering is that chloramine degrades elastomers.
Why is This an Issue?
We use elastomers such as, but not limited to, EPDM, nitrile and neoprene (polychloroprene) in our plumbing systems. These sulfur-modified (also known as vulcanization) materials are contained in many plumbing valves and fittings such as pressure regulators, flexible connectors, O-rings, washers and other sealing parts.
Chloramine has been found to degrade these materials and can cause leaks if not corrected. There are also complaints that chloramine causes pinholes in copper tubing.
What Should a Home Inspector look For?
Symptoms of elastomer degradation might be visible to a home inspector during an inspection. Most often, I have seen evidence of chloramine (or whatever the cause) degradation of the plumbing system by the symptom black particles or flecks in the water, most visible in bathtubs. Often, discolored (looks dirty) water is a co-symptom. See Photos 1 and 2.


Tips for Home Inspectors
- Reducing chloramine in water is a bit tricky. Carbon filters can help; however, if you see evidence of possible degradation or, for that matter, any particles or discoloration in the water, it is best to refer a plumber to evaluate the condition, and make correction recommendations and cost estimates.
- It is important for home inspectors to understand the potential repair costs and ongoing issues so we can make the clients aware whether an evaluation should occur prior to the end of the inspection contingency period. I would think that if parts of a plumbing system—such as flexible connectors—might be degraded, they probably should be replaced!
- Let an expert make the call for each specific situation, as there can be other causes of black particles in water such as failure of a water softener.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of ASHI. The information contained in the article is general and readers should always independently verify for accuracy, completeness and reliability.
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