Flexi Hoses 5 valuable things you need to know.
For quite a while now plumbers have been using Flexi hose as a cheaper and easier alternative to copper pipe in connecting appliances to the mains water supply. They are made of rubber and braided stainless steel. The problem – they don’t last. THEY BURST!
If they fail you could have a major flood on your hands. 1500 litres of water per hour could leak into your home. If you are out or away a potential disaster.
1. Flexi Hoses – The Stats
The stats tell the story. 34% of household insurance claims are water damage related and the number one cause is Burst Flexi Hoses. The average water damage claim is now over $30,000
Given that there are over 100,000 claims made each year for plumbing related floods, and that Flexi hoses account for more than 20% of them. It’s a 20,000 + claim statistic that could be avoided with a simple and cost-effective replacement regime.
In fact, the IAG report that flexible hoses accounted for 22% of water damage claims in Australian households back in 2016 – it will be significantly more now.
“We are now finding a rise in damaged bathrooms and kitchens due to flexible hoses bursting. Over time, they can deteriorate and become a ticking time bomb in your home. We recommend inspecting flexible hoses every few years to reduce the risk of water damage.” Cheryl Chantry, Executive General Manager, Short Tail Claims for IAG.
2. What happens
These handy little hoses are used in just about every situation now from connecting taps to the water supply, toilets to cisterns and in a lot of cases used incorrectly to connect hot water systems.
The cause of the failure most often is corrosion of the outer stainless sheath which allows the inner rubber tube to expand, particularly on hot water applications, and then they explode.
The resulting damage can be extensive if the supply is not cut off quickly. If you are out or on holiday then a vast amount of water can escape into your home. If the leak is on an upper floor then the damage could bring down ceilings and damage walls and multiple rooms.
3. Flexi Hoses quality and warranty
As with everything flexi hoses come in various qualities and with different warranty periods. Some hoses come with a 5-year warranty and a very small number with 10. However most claims are arising from hoses that have burst well before that period. There is also a large number of flexi hoses that have no warranty at all. Do you know the warranty of your hoses?
Whatever the length of Warranty it is no guarantee against these hoses failing. Most do not last 5 years. What’s more the warranty won’t cover any damage costs or cover your insurance excess. So you are not really covered by any warranty. You’ll get a new hose but that’s about it. If you don’t have insurance you are extremely exposed if your hoses are over 5 years old.
4. What you need to do
If you think your hoses are possibly older than 5 years you should get them replaced immediately. If you don’t know how old they are then you need to get them replaced immediately too.
Given that the average excess for a home and contents claim is $750.00, it is far more cost-effective to replace your Flexi hoses every two to three years or so. This will give you peace of mind and provide effective preventative maintenance. The risks are obvious but there is also the risk of damage to valuables that are hard or even impossible to replace such as pictures and furniture, electronics and flooring. Then there is the additional impact it has on your life whilst you move out and have all the damage to walls, floors and fixtures repaired or replaced.
5. How MYTAP can help
MYTAP have a Replacement Flexi Hose Service as part of our Sydney plumbing services. The variable pressure of the Australian water system plays havoc with flexi hoses. We recommend replacing hoses every 3 years as an effective deterrent. A manufacturer’s warranty may be greater than that but it won’t cover the costs of the damage a flood will create. Furthermore, it’s highly likely that your insurance excess is multiple times higher than the cost of hose replacement.
We have a variety of packages available based on the number of bathrooms. The replacement of a single kitchen and a single laundry is included in the package. If you need more you can always upgrade on the day. Our technicians will be able to help you out time permitting.
Bursting Flexi hoses are a real threat. Insurance companies warn clients on their websites of the risk of not checking and replacing Flexi hoses. To avoid being an insurance statistic get MYTAP to replace your old hoses for your peace of mind. Call us to talk about your flexi hose replacements if you live in Sydney Metro.