“Replace Every Five Years”….The Looming Threat Your Washing Machine Supply Hoses Pose To You!

The Dangers of Washing Machine Floods

Water, what harm could that do? “I drink it every day and I feel great!” Well, that’s true, but how would you feel if you were on a week-long vacation, or even just at work for 8 hours, and came back to a flood in your home? You probably would not feel too good then, huh.

What if I were to tell you that a small hose leak has the potential to lose 8 gallons of water in just one minute? Think about it this way. We will use a Home Depot orange 5 gallon bucket. Fill that bucket to the top with water, and then take another bucket and fill it halfway. That is about 8 gallons and that’s about how much water could end up on your floor in JUST ONE MINUTE!!!!!

Let me ask you another question. Do you know someone who has had a non-weather related flooding event at/on their property? If I were to guess, I would say you do. I am also sure that there was probably some sort of damage; being physical and/or emotional.

In this article, I am going to pinpoint one common source for household flooding and how you can significantly and inexpensively reduce your risk to prevent you from becoming waters next victim!

Next time you are doing laundry, check out what’s behind your machine. All washing machines will have two water supply hoses connecting to the backside of the appliance. Likely it will either be black rubber or stainless-steel hoses. Now take a closer look at these hoses. If it’s the black rubber hose, you will find “replace every 5 years” stamped in white text on the outside. For the stainless-steel hose, while no stamping is visible, the same principle applies in which best practice is to replace every 5 years.

So why do I need to change my washing machine hose? One may say “it’s rubber, shouldn’t it last forever?” or “mine is stainless-steel and indestructible!” My response to you is: do not fall victim to a flood because you think your supply line will last forever. The truth is it won’t, and I will explain why.

There are numerous factors that can affect the integrity of the hose and cause line or crimp bursts & leaks. One affecting factor is the metal crimp which connects the hose to the brass connection port. The crimp is short and rigid (not providing much flexibility) and the metal edge is sharp. This edge can press into the hose potentially causing abnormal wear to occur. Crimp based damage can be amplified if the hose is incorrectly installed, mispositioned, or as a result of hose vibration and water pulsation caused by the machine during start and stop cycles. Another crimp related concern is corrosion. Most washing machines are near the dryer and are in confined spaces (such as utility closets), or in basements. The hoses are constantly being subjected to changing air and moisture conditions as the washer and dryer run. The changing humidity condition can cause the crimp corrosion and cause the rubber break down. A potential internal integrity threat is the chemicals (from the water treatment facility), such as chlorine, in your water. These chemicals can slowly eat away and internally degrade the rubber. A final threat is a puncture resulting from unintentional human based action. All these are potential reasons for the supply hose to fail. Even the stainless-steel hoses, with the “protective steel braided wrapping,” can leak and cause water damage.

Now you may be asking, “what can I do about this?” First things first, always inspect the appliance and ensure all components are in good condition and working properly. Secondly, you should follow the manufacturers suggestion and replace, as necessary. You should replace the hose as soon as you start seeing wear and tear. That being said, I will share with you a high-quality solution that should be considered when you make your next purchase.

Let me introduce the Eltek Washing Machine Flood Protection Hose. This is a self-contained, “fail safe”, universal hot and cold-water supply line. The hose consists of multiple parts. Starting on the inside, there is a rubber hose wrapped in nylon braid (stronger than stainless steel). This nylon braided hose is concealed in a plastic corrugated hose. Finally, at the water inlet end, there is a mechanical water shut-off valve.

These supply hoses provide a variety of advantages. One advantage is that this is a completely enclosed system which would automatically shut-off if a water leak were to occur. On top of that, no water would ever escape because of the plastic corrugated outside tubing (all water would be contained inside). Another advantage is that the water shut-off is pressure activated and does not require any electric to power. A third advantage is that the primary internal hose is made of quality material and has a longer crimp which provides more flexibility and movement. The final advantage is that it is a cost-effective solution that lasts beyond the lifespan of the appliance. Essentially, for a few extra dollars, you would get a better quality, flood preventing, cost saving device that would not need to be replaced every five years. This hose set can be purchased here. Click here to learn more about the benefits and applications for the Flood Protection Hose.

Note: the Flood Prevention Hose only prevents flooding caused by supply line ruptures and leaks. This will not prevent flooding damage from the washing machine appliance itself. To limit the amount of flooding from a faulty washing machine valve, check out the Eltek Water Block device which can simply attach to the upstream side of the supply line and shut-off water flow if the set flow volume is exceeded. Future articles on Water Block to come. Check out the Water Block specifications here.

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