Replacing Washer Hoses Can Prevent Flood Disaster

The adage “out of sight, out of mind” can cost you dearly when it comes to washing machine water-supply hoses bursting.

These hoses are the thin-walled rubber lines behind your machine that bring hot and cold water from the wall valves to the machine’s water inlets. The hoses are under constant pressure from the house water system. Over time, the rubber ages to the point that the hoses rupture without warning.

Preempt this potential disaster by changing the hoses if they are more than 2 years old. For more security, upgrade the rubber hoses to heavier duty “steel braided” hoses with a three-year replacement cycle.

Changing the hoses is something most any plumber can do with a minimum house call charge, or is a fairly easy do-it-yourself project. Hoses are sold at any hardware store. The only tool needed is an adjustable channel lock type pliers about 10 inches in length.

To do this job yourself, first carefully pull the machine away from the wall far enough to allow access behind it. Next, make sure the valves on the wall behind the machine are shut off and then loosen the hose fitting for the cold water (usually on the right-hand side) and remove it.

At the back of the machine where the hoses connect, loosen and remove the other end of the same hose. At the machine end of the hose, you normally will find a “hose filter,” a small cone-shaped screen stuck into the end of the hose. Remove it from the old hose, rinse it out and insert it into the threaded fitting at the end of the new hose.

Connect this threaded fitting on the end of the new hose to the threaded nipple on the back of the machine. Tighten snugly with the pliers, but do not over-tighten. Repeat the process for the hot water line and turn on the wall valves. Check for leaks. If none are found, carefully push the machine back into place.

As a precaution, it is always a good idea to shut off the hot and cold valves on the wall behind the machine when not in use. Should a rupture occur, only a very small amount of water will spill.

To prevent a flood disaster when you are on vacation, turn off the main water valve to your home outside (check first that your automatic sprinklers are not on the same line).

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Gary Abrams is a general contractor who has written about home improvement for 10 years. Comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 711, Thousand Oaks, CA 91319. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Or e-mail homedoc1@hotmail.com.