# OT - you NEED to check on...



## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

Your washing machine hoses.

I came home Friday, the last of July to a flooded house. 
The hose connecting my dam washing machine to the cold water decided to burst sometime after 6AM, when I left for work. 

I came home to ALL the main level under 1/2" of water. Service Master removed all my flooring in every room, AND the drywall to about 14" above the floor. Whoopie!!! They had to remove the kitchen counter and sink, and such. I lost some clothes to mildew, some shelves and my bedroom chest of drawers and dresser, and a rare O. Winston Link book called "Steam Steel and Stars", and even some clothes. I will be out of my house for 2 months while the drywall is replaced, and painted, new flooring (TBD) and repainted, AND new bathrooms, a new kitchen counter, and lots of other stuff. 

I will NOT get to be in my house until mid - October. that stinks!

My 4000 LP's and my audio equipment and all my Sci-Fi models have been moved to my Loft, in the walkways of my Model railroad. A ll my projects are on "HOLD" until I can move back in. 

My best friend, Kevin has let me stay in his guest room. He's the Bestest!!!!
Close to my house and he's handling the sub-contractors and such while I'm stuck at NASA HQ on a special project. 

He already handles his 5 rental units and the contractors so 1 more project isn't that big of a deal. 

It really sucks.

Check your hoses and replace them with the best you can find. 
REALLY!!!!


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## dreadnaught726 (Feb 5, 2011)

I can sympathize with you. My basement has been flooded out (right up to the beams) 6 times since 2000 (twice this year 2 weeks apart) due to river flooding which has been aggravated by a dam built on the river to protect everyone up stream and screw everyone downstream (Army Corp of Engineers designed and built it, need I say more). Luckily I have everything in moduals including my kits and workbench so they can be moved upstairs at a moments notice. My washing machine hoses, washer/dryer and heating/air/water never have a chance to wear out since I have to repalce them every couple of years. But I keep on modeling to keep my sanity.


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## Jimmy B (Apr 19, 2000)

Oh the fun of being a homeowner. Thank God I haven't had one of these horror stories yet but trying to sell here in NJ at fair value is like pulling teeth


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

Ouch! Man, my condolences!
My wife lives by the mantra, "Righty - Tighty, Lefty - Loosey" with the faucets for the washer ever since a burst hose happened at HER house when she was growing up.


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

Wow, my sympathies.

I have to say, washer hoses are nothing to skimp on.

I bought the most expensive, metal weaved, blah, blah hoses one can get. Just for that reason.

We moved into a new house a few years ago, and my wife complained that the washer wasn't getting any hot water.
I checked everything out (or thought I had) and came to the conclusion that something had happened to the washer in the move.
So a few years go by with no hot water in the washer. 

No big deal, I love grey socks.

Recently, very recently, I had reason to pull out the washer and fix something behind it. After hooking everything back up. I ran the washer.......no water, hot or cold.
Checking EVERYTHING out again, I re hooked it back up.
STILL no water, hot or cold.
Upon taking EVERYTHING apart AGAIN, I happened to re-read a tag on the hoses.

Apparently they have some kind of 'bursting' valve in there, where if the water flows to fast, they seal up.
So turns out, years ago, and just now, if when you hook the hoses up and turn the water on too FAST, the hose thinks its a burst and seals up.
You have to turn the water on SLOWLY.

So...........now I have hot and cold water in my washer. 
I started buying my socks grey to begin with and it doesn't matter how much money you spend on hoses, there gonna get you some how.


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## diamondj (Nov 16, 2009)

Sorry to hear about your flood. It's funny (in the odd sort of way) that I saw your post tonight. I was running some laundry and noticed the tag on the washer that say "recommend replacement of hoses every two years". Gee, we've been in this house 12 years now and I've never replaced a hose for the washer.... Maybe fate is trying to tell me something!  It's just one of those things you never think about until it fails - like cleaning and replacing the dryer vent hose or cleaning off the coils on the fridge.

Thanks for the heads up! 

Jim


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## Tomtom (Jun 10, 2009)

My washer hose broke also once,at the tine I slept in the finished basement. Of course this happens 4 AM and even though I heard a noise of water that wakened me the measely 10 minutes it took for me to get up.determimne the problem; turn frozen unused valves still left considerable water.
The lesson learned is to turn the wtaer hot and cold off to the hoses then on when using machine-most leave the water line open and the hose bursts.
Check the hose itself also as they start to swell before this happens and replace.
Water damage seems to be the worst damager of collectibles,broken pipes,floods,and other water seepage .


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

I had that happen once but luckily I was home. I now turn off the hot and cold water to the machine when it's not in use.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

We turn the valves on and off every time we do the wash, so if a hose goes it'll be while we're there.


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

UPDATE:

Looks like I'll be out of my house for 2 months or more, so the Seaview project will be a Christmas time one, and the Chariot, through the winter.

I hate living out of a gym bag.....


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## Seaview (Feb 18, 2004)

I was home on an unintendeded day off about 15 years ago when I heard the water running somewhere in the house and I knew I was all by myself at the time. Yes, the washing machine hot water hose.
This was a lesson in synchronicty that I'll never forget. And only the day before I was in just the right place at the right time to put out a brush fire caused by an untended campfire that was just beginning to spread into surrounding dry brush in 90 degree-plus weather, threatening several horses who were tied up nearby (within 15 feet, to be exact).
I hope you'll be back home by early September, my friend!


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## Tim Nolan (Jul 9, 2008)

Been there, done that, and man can I sympathize! We had just finished up a year and a ahlf of remodeling our home, woke up to 95% of the house with 4 inches of water over it. All new real hardwood floors started buckling and breaking within a few hrs, baseboards warped off the walls, it was sickening, and my wife and I literally stood in the middle of it and cried. BRAIDED STEEL HOSES MY FRIENDS!!!!! GET THEM!!!!

On a lighter note, twice I was walking past one of our saltwater fish tanks when a leak sprung out and started streaming on the floor!!! What are the chances of that!!! One was a 55 gallons tank, and the leak was near the bottom! Talk about timing!!! Yeeeeesh!!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

The sad thing is that we're all vulnerable to leaks from SOMEWHERE as long as we have water piped into our homes. Just a fact of life. Even so, it makes some sense to take some precautions and spend a little money up front in order to avoid catastrophe. 

One of the worst and most consistent problems I've found is the damage caused by bad caulking around the tub/shower. Also, the drain hose for the washer can easily be bumped in some cases by the vibration of the washer and cause a lot of damage. 

There are ball valves with levers that can be used instead of the standard screw down type. They would have longer life and be easier to turn on and off. 

Also check your toilet valves and hoses as well as those under the lavatories and sinks. You may want to upgrade everywhere. 

If you can, get a ball valve for the water supply to your house to turn off every time you go on a trip. If you can locate it conveniently enough, you can even shut the water off every time you leave for work in the morning.


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

YAAAAA!!! After 3 months being out of my house, I get to move back in next week. I'll be moving in Halloween Weekend. New floor, new walls and paint. New dishwasher, Shower stall, bathroom sinks, and many quality upgrades. New Patio, driveway and sidewalk too. It was a long ugly affair though. To save $, Me and my friend did the demolition, some plumbing, drywall, electrical and phones.


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## jcd132 (Jan 13, 2000)

Good advice on turning the washer supply valves off when not in use. After reading this thread, I think I'm going to go out and buy new metal braided hoses for our washer. We've been in our house for almost 12 years and they've never been replaced.

I replaced our toilets a couple years ago and put metal water supply hoses in at that time, but I think I'll check our sinks too.

We usually do turn the water supply to house off whenever we go out of town, but it doesn't take long to do significant damage even if we are home, it appears, from reading all of this.

Anyone know anything about dishwasher water supply hoses? Do we need to check those out?


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## Xenodyssey (Aug 27, 2008)

Always turn mine off at the taps after every wash for exactly that reason. And turn the machine off at the powerpoint.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Xenodyssey said:


> Always turn mine off at the taps after every wash for exactly that reason. And turn the machine off at the powerpoint.


That works fine if you have ball valves. The standard type of hose faucet is actually longer lasting and reliable if you don't turn them on and off a lot. 

The standard washer type, screw down, screw up type that you typically see on hose faucet connections will wear out with a lot of use. 

In addition, for the washers to work better after some wear, when they're opened, they should be opened _all the way _ to prevent leaking. I found this out the hard way after having water damage from partially opened valves and then consulting a plumber.


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