When you’ve grown up with indoor plumbing, it’s easy to take it for granted. The ability to enjoy a hot shower, fill a glass with cold water and flush waste away instantly is a luxury. However, modern plumbing systems don’t run flawlessly forever; they require maintenance to perform optimally. Without proper maintenance and repairs, each home would eventually have a kitchen sink clogged, a toilet backed up and countless other plumbing issues.  That’s why homeowners should have at least a basic idea of how their plumbing systems work and how to perform routine maintenance. Although homeowners shouldn’t necessarily try to install new flex hoses on their own, many do. If you want to install a new flex hose on your kitchen sink, it’s important to know the right steps. Keep reading to learn about flex hoses, common flex hose problems and how to install one.  DIY plumbing fixes can save homeowners money on repairs, but they can also end up causing expensive damage. When in doubt, call the best plumber Duncanville has to offer: an expert from Dial One Johnson Plumbing, Cooling & Heating. 

What Is a Flex Hose? 

Whether you realize it or not, you’ve seen a flex hose. Look under your sink or behind your toilet. See those metal tubes weaving around the fixture? Those are flex hoses, and they play a vital role in indoor plumbing. Flex hoses (also called flexi hoses) are flexible water pipe connectors that connect the toilet suite and mixer taps to the water supply.  Flex hoses are rubber hoses covered with a metal or plastic braid. They have screw-on connections that make them easy to install on existing threaded stop valves. Flex hoses play an important role in reducing stress on a plumbing system’s pipes by absorbing hydraulic shock and ground movement. 

Common Flex Hose Problems

Flex hoses eventually wear out, as all rubber parts do. Flex hoses typically last about five years before needing to be replaced. However, flex hoses don’t start dripping when they’re damaged or need to be replaced; they’re more likely to just burst.  A burst flex hose can cause extensive water damage and require emergency plumbing service to fix. Here are some of the problems that can cause a flex hose to burst: 

• Incorrect installation 
• Stretching the hose to force a connection
• Corroded hose sleeve
• Incorrect use, such as kinking or twisting
• Inadequate maintenance, failure to replace

A failure to replace the flex hoses in your home at regular intervals can lead to burst hoses and water damage. On the other hand, incorrect installation can also result in a flooded home. If you’re not confident in your ability to correctly install a flex hose, it’s best to call a trusted Duncanville plumber.  Is your kitchen sink clogged, the toilet stopped up or the water heater leaking? No matter what your plumbing issue is, Dallas One Johnson is here to fix it. Call us at (972) 291-0740 to schedule any and every plumbing repair. 

Steps to Install a Flex Hose

Ready to install a new flex hose or hoses on your kitchen sink? Depending on your setup, there could be as many as three. Make sure you have the right size replacement hose for each one you intend on replacing. When you’re ready, follow these steps: 

1. Remove everything from under the sink. 
2. Turn off the water. There should be a shut-off valve under your sink that you can turn clockwise to cut off the water supply. 
3. Drain excess water from the pipes. After you’ve cut off the water supply, turn on the faucets to drain any water that was caught in the pipes. 
4. Find your plumber’s tape. Wrap the tape around the threaded ends of the faucet supply lines and shut-off valves. 
5. Grab a flex hose. Screw the nut end of the hose onto the threaded end of the faucet supply line. 
6. Tighten the nut end of the flex hose onto the supply line with a wrench. 
7. Screw the other nut end of the flex hose onto its corresponding shut-off valve. 
8. Tighten the nuts with the wrench to ensure a water-tight seal.
9. Turn on the water supply to the sink. 
10. Run the faucet and check for leaks. Tighten any leaking connections. 

If you were able to successfully complete these steps, congratulations! You don’t have to worry about that flex hose needing replaced for a while. However, you should make sure to monitor your sink over the next few days to ensure everything is working properly. 

Flex Hose Maintenance 

So you’ve replaced the worn-out flex hoses in your home — now what? Now you want to take every step you can to maintain them. Here are some easy ways to circumvent any flex hoses problems that could arise: 

• Inspect all the flex hoses in your home for frays or tears.
• Take note of any flex hoses that are particularly bundled up or kinked. 
• Track the warranty period on your fixtures and hoses to know when they’re due for replacement. 
• Start a preventative maintenance plan with your local plumber. 

Preventative maintenance plans may seem like overkill, but they’re not. Even if you’re proactive about home maintenance and plumbing, you probably don’t know the warning signs of a plumbing problem as well as a professional plumber does. At Dial One Johnson, we want to make getting regular maintenance easy. That’s why we encourage our Duncanville homeowners to sign up for our Advantage Plan and get year-round plumbing and HVAC maintenance. Sign up today and get deep discounts on yearly repairs, maintenance and installation.

Kitchen Plumbers in Duncanville, TX

Is your kitchen sink clogged, garbage disposal broken or faucet running slow? Do your flex hoses need to be replaced? No matter what plumbing issue you have on your hands, the experienced kitchen plumbers at Dial One Johnson are here to help. Ready to schedule service? Contact us online or give us a call at (972) 291-0740.