How to Replace Washing Machine Hoses

Washing machine hoses. You probably bought a set when you bought your washing machine, installed them, and then forgot about them. Am I right? If so, you’re taking a major risk. Because washer hoses, they wear out.

Stand there and watch the next time your washing machine fills up, and you’ll see just how much pressure those hoses are under. It’s crazy!

And if your washing machine hoses are over five years old, you’re really flirting with disaster. Because if one of those hoses fails, guess where all of that water is going to go. Yep. Right into your house. That’s bad if your washer is in the basement, and really bad if your washer is located on another level of your home.

Because, let’s be clear on this point: If a hose fails, it will continue to pour water into your home, until you catch the problem and manually shut off the valve. There is nothing to stop it. No fail safe to save the day.

Just imagine how much damage could occur if a hose were to fail while you were at work or worse while you were on vacation. We’re talking catastrophic flooding. We’re talking call your insurance agent, pay your deductible and hire a construction crew to come tear out damaged dry wall and flooring. It is not a good way to spend your time or your money.

So, pay more attention to that washer hose. Replace it if it looks worn; and swap it out every five years, even if it looks fine. It’ll cost you $20 tops, and it could help you avoid thousands of dollars in damages.

According to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, the average washing machine failure costs $5,308 after deductible

Suddenly inspired to replace your washer hose? Here’s how it’s done.

How to Replace Washing Machine Hoses – Step-By-Step

What You’ll Need:

Washing machine hose
Slip-joint pliers
A bucket

What You Do:

Unplug your washing machine, and shut off the hot and cold water valve.

Disconnect your existing hoses from the washing machine and the water supply bibs (Have a bucket handy to catch any water left in the lines).

Screw the new hoses back onto your machine, matching the hot water hose to the hot water connection and the cold water hose to the cold water connection.

Now, connect the other end of the hoses to the water supply, matching hot to hot and cold to cold.

Turn the water valves back on, and check the new hoses for leaks. Super easy, and well worth the effort.

These are the washing machine hoses that we’re currently using. They’re steel braided, and then wrapped in rubber for an extra layer of protection. And as you can see, they’re designed to stand up to high pressure and high temps. There are cheaper options out there, but I like the extra protection that these provide.

Tips:

• Steel braided hoses are less likely to leak than rubber hoses. Consider swapping yours out, if you have the older, rubber style
• Write the installation date on a piece of tape, and stick it on one of the hoses, so you’ll know when it’s time to replace them again

Eliminate another laundry room hazard by cleaning out your dryer vent.