Check Those Washer Hoses

It seems like a small thing really - washing machine hoses. Until they go, that is. A burst hose, with household water at an average 70 lbs of pressure, can release up to 650 gallons an hour. Yikes!

So definitely check your hoses for visible wear. You may want to make a habit of changing them periodically as part of regular maintenance - especially the hose on the hot water line. The traditional black rubber hoses may seem strong, but with constant exposure to hot water the rubber can harden and become brittle, making them more susceptible to failure. They can either split along the wall of the hose or separate at the join with the fitting. The normal lifespan of these hoses is 5 to 7 years, with some qualifications. The greater the bend in the hose, the shorter the hose will last. The hose's lifespan may also be affected by your water's chemical composition and by higher water pressure.

(Test the water shut-offs behind the machine, too. If you do need to stop the water flow in an emergency, you definitely do not want frozen bibs.)

At Boden Plumbing we also recommend that you at least consider going one step further than including the washing machine hoses in your regular maintenance scheme - particulary if you are away from home a lot or have a living unit above another unit.

We like Floodchek brand hoses as an alternative to the standard hoses. These heavily constructed hoses start out with the same traditional rubber tube, but add two layers of 23# braided rayon reinforcement, a .012"-gauge rubber jacket and a .063"-gauge rubber cover. And, since most floods start at the coupling, Floodchek couplings are machined from non-corroding solid brass. The patented heart of a Floodchek hose is the brass insert, rounded at the end to prevent cutting the hose's interior. Barbs along the hose's flank supplement the crimp design to provide extra protection against pull-off. These improvements make the hoses so reliable that they come with a limited 20-year manufacturer's guarantee.

Steel braided hoses might seem like another good choice, but there are some concerns with these types of hoses. Manufacturers use a very aggressive crimp when assembling the hoses and a relatively thin rubber tube to secure the rubber tube and steel braid to the swivel. When hoses are bent and flexed, they fail at the crimp point.

So if this is something you'd like to take the next step on in your home, Boden recommends going ahead with the Floodchek hoses. Unless you've already had a hose burst, you'll never know just how glad you'll be to have them.

Questions? Call the office at 707 996 8683 or send an email. We'd be glad to tell you more.

:: www.floodchek.com
:: www.nodrips.com