10 tips for choosing a flexible shower hose

Just imagine how many tons of water a shower hose passes through! It is not surprising that over time it breaks, begins to flow, and then the question of replacing the hose becomes. It would seem that here is complicated? But in the store of an unprepared buyer, they will meet hoses of different lengths, with different braids, and even with a different threaded connection. Of course, you can just take an old hose with you and trust the seller’s opinion, but in order to buy a really high-quality and suitable product in all respects, it’s better to figure out how to choose a flexible hose for a shower head and what it is important to pay attention to when buying.

No. 1. Shower hose design

The flexible shower hose has extremely simple design:

• inner tube;
• external braid (may be absent);
• two nuts for attaching the hose to the mixer and watering can.

Inner tube made of plastic or rubber, you can also find products with a nylon tube. Plastic - The cheapest option, but the record durability is no different. In addition, it is sensitive to pressure drops. The best option is the inner tube from rubberbut such a hose will cost a little more. It’s easy to understand what material is used. It is enough to look inside the hose, and if you see a white tube, then it is most likely plastic. You can also try stretching the hose: the rubber stretches well, but with a plastic tube this will not work.

Some manufacturers produce shower hoses that consist only of clear plastic. Such products look very interesting, especially when water flows through them. Such a hose can be taken if at home flow filter, otherwise you will soon be able to observe calcareous deposits inside the tube, so there is no question of any aesthetics.

However, a hose without an external winding is a rarity. Tube coating It performs several important functions, including protection against external mechanical influences, twisting and destruction under the influence of pressure drops and high temperatures. The external winding increases the aesthetics of the hose and can be made of metal, plastic, have a silicone coating. The appearance and performance depend on the type of material.

On both ends of a hose settle down connecting elements. The flat nut is designed to connect with mixerconical - provides connection to watering can. When deciding which shower hose to choose, It is important to pay attention not only to the winding and design, but also to the quality of the nuts: the thicker they are, the better.

No. 2. Types of external winding

The outer braid protects the inner tube from a number of negative influences, increases the elasticity of the hose, its strength, wear resistance and durability, increases aesthetics. This is in general, and if you dig deeper, then many of the properties of the winding will depend on what material it is made of. The most popular options today:

• metal winding;
• plastic winding;
• silicone coated winding.

Metal winding - this is a classic. It is made of stainless steel, less commonly copper alloys. It has a spiral shape.The metal case provides excellent flexibility to the hose, it protects the inner tube well from kinks and kinks. Moreover, outwardly such a hose looks perfect, can have a chrome surface, can be executed in bronze or gold color, so you can to equip a bathroom in any style. Metal hoses are inexpensive, but they have some minuses. Firstly, low durability (on average 5-7 years). Secondly, over time, the winding begins to unwind, exfoliate and break, damaging the inner tube. In addition, limescale and dirt on the metal will be quite noticeable.

Plastic case copes well with high temperatures (up to 70-80⁰C), has increased flexibility, corrosion resistance, easy to clean, can be smooth or spiral. There is a sale transparent, color and chrome plastic hoses. Chrome products are outwardly indistinguishable from metal ones, colored ones give free rein to interior arrangement, and transparent ones look spectacular only for the first time. Then, drips and even blackened spots appear on them. Key Cons plastic winding - a tendency to dry out and crack. To extend the life, it is better not to wind the hose tightly - let it hang freely in the shower or bath. The plastic case is not repairable.

Also sold reinforced plastic hoses with metal wire. Such products receive additional strength, durability, resistance to bending and microcracks.

Another good modern solution is silicone coated metal hose. An additional layer protects the metal from delamination, increasing the durability of the product. In addition, flexibility and resilience increase. Such hoses last longer than regular metal ones, leak less often, and it’s much easier to keep them clean - fungus on silicone will not appear. Of the minuses, a higher price and weight.

No. 3. Connector Size

The standard diameter of the nut thread at both ends of the hose is 1/2 inch, but 3/8 inch nuts are also found. It is important that the size of the connecting elements of the hose matches the size of the connecting elements of the watering can and the mixer. Otherwise, you will have to use special adapters.

The European inch system for determining the size of the thread is used everywhere today. There is also a domestic metric system, but it is used very rarely: hoses and watering cans with Russian thread are difficult to find today. By the way, by the way, it is not easy even for a professional to determine which sample thread is used in a particular sample. The nuts on our sample are slightly larger. In order not to be mistaken, it is easiest to take an old hose with you to the store.

Number 4. Hose length

The standard is considered to be a length of 150 cm. Such hoses have gained maximum popularity, they provide complete freedom of movement, and indeed all the most distant parts bathtubs or shower tray with such a hose it will be possible to wash without problems. At the same time, the hose is not too long and will not interfere underfoot, there will also be no need to twist it several times.

On sale you can find hoses of length 125 cm (the best option for a hygienic shower and arranging a shower panel), 175 and 200 cm. The latter are quite problematic to find, and they are suitable for tall shower panels. Be sure to consider the size and characteristics of the shower or bath when choosing a hose length. Both too short and disproportionately long hose will cause a lot of inconvenience. So do not save and do not take with a margin.

No. 5. Twist protection

The ability to twist hoses causes a lot of inconvenience and negatively affects the durability of the product. It is better to take a hose with protection against twisting, which is realized thanks to the presence of bearing or special swivel cone in the place of attachment of the hose to the mixer.Whatever you do with such a hose, there will be no twists and creases.

No. 6. What else to consider when choosing?

To choose the right shower hose, pay attention to the following points when purchasing:

• preferred hoses with extra antibacterial and antifungal protection;
• the base of the connecting elements should be brass, not plastic;
• there should be no burrs, sag or other defects on the hose;
• a curved thread is a sign of a poor-quality product. We hope that it is clear that such a hose will cause a lot of problems during installation and operation;
• heterogeneous color and corrugation of different sizes are another signs of an unscrupulous manufacturer;
• complete with a hose should be a pair of gaskets for nuts;
• the manufacturer must be indicated on the package, as well as all important product parameters.

Number 7. Shower Hose Manufacturers

The leaders in the market for flexible shower hoses are German companies. Their products are characterized by high quality, durability, reliability, but also cost accordingly. Good products can be found at Czech, Hungarian and domestic manufacturers. Chinese hoses in most cases are of poor quality, but sometimes there are pleasant exceptions.

The largest manufacturers of shower hoses include:

• Hansgrohe - A large German company specializing in the production of plumbing. Hoses are presented in several collections, made of different materials. The range of prices is sufficient, there are budget products, the most expensive ones (with antibacterial coating) are guaranteed for up to 5 years
• Grohe - Another German company. Its products combine impeccable quality and excellent design. All hoses have a warranty; all products receive a Twist-Free protective system;
• Ravak - cheaper Czech hoses. Company uses protection against twisting in models, releases products from 150 to 200 cm long, gives a guarantee;
• Aquanet - a domestic manufacturer, offers a wide range of different hoses, reasonable prices;
• Zegor - A Chinese company, that is the exception to the rule. It produces hoses with different windings, including plastic with metal reinforcement.

You can also recommend the products of KorDi (Switzerland), IDDIS (Russia), Kludi (Germany) and Nobili (Italy).

Number 8. How to install a shower hose?

Spend replacing the old shower hose with a new one it’s easy - it’s not necessary to be a plumber or at least some experience in this field. The sequence of actions is as follows:

• unpack a new hose, check its integrity;
• turn off the watering can. Here usually there are no problems, everything is done by hand, but sufficient strength may be needed. If the connection does not lend itself, then the cone of the old hose can be held with a pipe wrench, and turn the watering can by hand so as not to damage;
• unscrew the nut on the mixer, you can use the open-end wrench;
• we clean the threads of the mixer and watering can from pollution;
• insert the gasket into the union nut and wind it onto the mixer;
• the second gasket is inserted into the flare nut and tighten the watering can. You need to work with your hands, as the tool can drag the thread;
• turn on the water and check the work done. If water leaks somewhere, tighten the nuts slightly more tightly.

If the thread size on the hose and the mixer or watering can does not match, you will have to attach adapters as well. Installation is somewhat complicated.

No. 9. Hose Care

In order for the shower hose to serve faithfully for more than one year, follow a few simple rules when handling it:

• After taking a shower, place the watering can in the holder. Do not throw the hose into the bathtub or on the pallet, do not twist around the mixer, do not twist, do not bend, do not stretch or pinch the product;
• abrasive substances, aggressive chemicals and hard metal brushes for cleaning the hose are not suitable - it is better to use a soft rag, a synthetic brush and ordinary detergent compositions;
• it is better to prevent long-term passage of very hot water through the hose.

If you follow these rules, then even the simplest hose will last quite a long time. When neglected and expensive product will quickly break.

No. 10. DIY shower hose repair

If the hose bursts somewhere in the middle, it remains only to buy a new one and make a replacement. If the inner tube is damaged near the watering can, and this happens quite often, then you can try to make a small repair:

• remove the watering can from the hose;
• the nuts slide neatly onto the corrugation, the gasket and brass bushings are removed. Act better with a knife screwdrivers and pliers;
• carefully pull the inner tube to the point of damage, cut off the unnecessary part;
• the tube heats up in warm water (its flexibility and flexibility increases), reassemble all elements, install a new gasket and insert the tube into the braid until it stops. It remains to fasten the watering can and check the quality of work.

You can’t perform such repairs more often 1-2 times - the hose will become too short.

Finally, we note that it is better not to save on a shower hose. The load on it will be significant - a poor-quality product will quickly fail.