Hard lesson on flexi hoses

I’m officially a statistic – I have become one of the thousands of Queenslanders who has fallen victim to water damage at my home.

The culprit – a burst flexi hose. This is the hose under the sink that connects the taps to the water supply.

From the moment you receive a call from your neighbour telling you that you have water pouring through your floorboards, to mopping up the pooling water which has taken up residence in your bedroom, assessing damage and relocating your family (including a very active 16-month-old) to temporary accommodation, it’s certainly not an enjoyable time.

Now, I do consider myself very lucky. If it wasn’t for the diligent eyes of my neighbour, the situation could have been much worse.

But I do believe with every experience there is a lesson.

Water on the bathroom floor after a flexi hose burst.

So, what have I learnt?

I’ve learnt that flexi hoses are rubber pipes covered by braided lengths of stainless steel.

They’re cheap, widely used around the home, have a limited working life and should be checked bi-annually.

The risk of a flexi hose bursting increases dramatically around the 10-year mark.

My house, which I moved into three years ago, underwent a renovation in 2014. It is safe to say, the hose was never checked. 

The damage caused can be extreme, with water flooding your house in a matter of seconds, leading to ruined cabinets, walls, floors and mould, which, in some extreme cases, can make your home uninhabitable.

While my flooding was caused by the flexi hose in the bathroom, they can also be found under kitchen sinks and in toilets, washing machines & dishwashers. Plumbed fridges are also another item for concern as the PVC tube connecting the fridge to the main water supply can also burst or separate from the joins causing flooding of the property.

A new flexi hose.

After speaking to the experts, I now know there are a few things I should do regularly:

• Look for signs of ageing: Warning signs for faulty flexi hoses include rust spots, bulging sections on the metal exterior and fraying or kinking.
• Warranty checks: Ensure all new flexi hoses come with an extended warranty period. If it’s a pre-existing hose, check for the expiry date on the collar of the hose.
• Check its surroundings: If you store chemicals under your sink, you could be putting your hose at risk of damage before the expiry date.
• Installation: If you have flexi hoses or are installing new ones, ensure they are checked and fitted by a professional plumber.
• Maintenance: Make sure to do regular checks of your flexi hoses and feel along the outer casing for any signs of damage. If you suspect a fault, contact a plumber immediately.

Hopefully my not-so-great experience will be a call to action for all home owners to check their flexi hoses regularly.

They may seem small, but they can cause a great deal of damage.

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The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained in the document is general advice, not intended as legal advice or professional advice and does not take into account any person’s particular circumstances. Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you, having regard to your objectives and needs.