A federal judge has certified a class action lawsuit against Zurn Pex, Inc. that could allow as many as 50,000 Minnesota residents with Zurn Pex plumbing systems to file claims for leaky and defective parts. This is the first of more than a dozen lawsuits against Zurn across the country seeking class action status to be been certified.

Pex systems are plastic pipe plumbing systems that are joined together by brass fittings that can be identified by a “Q PEX” stamp on their side. Homeowners claim these brass fittings were incorrectly designed and manufactured, causing the fittings to fail prematurely -- sometimes only months after installation -- by cracking and leaking, exposing homeowners to significant water damage. Zurn sold approximately 200 million brass fittings for its Pex systems until May 2010, when it began selling plastic fittings after it received thousands of warranty claims for cracked and leaking fittings. Zurn initially honored its warranty and covered the damaged caused by the leaks, but the company stopped paying claims and has since left homeowners and plumbers to pay for the damage themselves. The class action lawsuit is asking Zurn to reimburse class members who have already paid for repairs or damage, as well as pay to replace all brass fittings or Pex systems, regardless of whether the fittings have already failed, in order to prevent damage caused by future leaks and failures.

The Minnesota class action lawsuit against Zurn could open the door to tens of thousands of homeowners across the country with Zurn Pex plumbing systems to have their systems replaced and/or be reimbursed for damage and repairs. If you’ve experienced problems with your Zurn Pex brass plumbing fittings, fill out this form to for a free assessment of whether or not you have a case against Zurn.