Most people don’t know that you should change your washer hoses at least every 5 years. Because the rubber hose will dry rot and cause stress cracks which can burst. Rubber washer hoses are the most popular because that is what the manufactures send with new washers and most customers replace theirs with them.Most flood insurance companies will not pay for a flood caused by hoses that are older than 5 years old – check with your flood insurance company. I do recommend upgrading to stainless steel braided hoses; they’re only a few dollars more, but still should be replaced every 5 years. The stainless hoses are stronger, so it gives you less chance of having a problem. I strongly recommend not getting flood safe hoses, they have a sensor in them that shuts the water off automatically, but they have problems with premature failure which could add un-needed service. If a hose does burst it will shoot water out full speed until someone turns the water off at the manual shut off. If you are home there may be minimal damage, but if not, it could do a lot of damage. If you can’t turn your emergency shut offs behind your washer consult a local plumber to replace your shut offs.
If you do not feel comfortable replacing your washer hoses yourself, please contact an Appliance Specialists. Remember to do this at least every 5 years, the hoses are a $15 to $25 investment that can potentially save you hundreds or thousands.
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