Stainless Steel Hoses for Appliances is the perspective of an Architect regarding the proper type of hose to have attached to appliances.
There are mainly 2 types of hoses that are commonly used to attach water-providing appliances to water piping under pressure in a house:
1. Rubber, unshielded common hoses.
2. Stainless steel braided (encased) rubber hoses.
The difference: old-school common rubber hoses WILL fail at some point in their life, while acting as a conduit from a wall or floor source of pipe water to a specific water-using appliance, like a clothes washer, dishwasher, toilet, icemaker (in a refrigerator and similar devices).
Why will they fail?
Because rubber is inherently weak when it is aged. And the older it becomes, the weaker it is to resist the pressure of the water which it conducts from the pipes in the house to the appliances it serves.
Recently, a general contractor allowed his subcontractor Plumber to reuse 10+ year old rubber hoses from laundry machines during a renovation project. Within a week after relocating the washer, the aging rubber hoses developed an aneurysm and burst. No one was home. For 3 months. Water sprayed out into the house for over 90 days, under pressure, filling the crawlspace below and about 2/3 of the main floor level. The finish flooring was ruined, looking like potato chips. Mold grew on the walls and floor structure. HVAC equipment and ll electronics in the crawlspace were destroyed. Insulation ruined. And more damage as well.
All because of just two old rubber hoses. Is the General Contractor to blame? Probably. The Plumber? Probably. The Owner? Probably not. But is playing the blame game really going to help in the future with other people. No.
So what’s the answer to prevent such a horrible fate?
Easy: use Stainless Steel Braided Rubber Hoses.
What does the stainless steel braids do? They contain the tendency of the rubber to expand under pressure and any point along the hose, preventing it from ballooning out (like an aneurysm). And thereby preventing a leak. Will that last forever? Probably not. But a lot longer than unprotected rubber.
Word to the wise: START with stainless steel braided hoses for ALL of the appliances and plumbing fixtures in your hose that need rubber hoses connecting them to pressurized piping for water supply (hot and cold).
Note: if you hire a competent, Licensed Architect who is familiar with designing and specifying custom homes, he or she will probably know that they should be indicating stainless steel hoses for your new house project. This should help you avoid the unfortunate scenario recounted above.