A flexible water supply will help you connect a faucet, toilet, water heater and other plumbing fixtures even in the most inconvenient location. It will allow you to abandon rigid pipes that require a large number of connections, and do without calling the wizard. Let's find out how to choose and connect a flexible plumbing hose correctly, so as not to flood the neighbors later.
Types of flexible piping
For water use 2 types of eyeliner:
- reinforced;
- bellows.
reinforced
Flexible hose of the first type is a soft elastic hose reinforced with a wire braid, with connecting elements at the ends (fittings). The tube has a complex structure despite its simple appearance. It is made from synthetic EPDM rubber or cross-linked PEX polyethylene. It is braided with a thread of wire made of stainless steel or aluminum. Reinforced eyeliner that will withstand higher pressure has a nylon braid.
ibuilder.decorexpro.com/en/ recommends (strongly!): do not use flexible galvanized wire braided piping. This is the most unreliable hose that can burst at any moment.
The product is cut at the factory into parts of the required length. At the ends, metal nipples with fittings or union nuts are inserted into it. Then the braid with the hose is crimped with a steel sleeve around the sleeve. Connection to pipes is made through rubber seals.
The flexible water hose has different diameters: 1 and 1/2 inches, 3/4, 3/8.
Bellows
Bellows hoses are more reliable and durable. They are made in the form of alternating rings of different diameters from stainless steel. During production, the workpiece is selectively crimped, after which it receives a corrugated shape that provides high flexibility. The cost of such a hose is much higher.
The eyeliner is available in two types:
- fixed length;
- folding.
The first one does not stretch and has a certain size: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 cm. For the second, the range of minimum and maximum values is indicated: 140–250, 200–355 mm, etc. It is not recommended to get carried away with stretching, because this affects the life of the product.
The disadvantage of the bellows hose is the noise that occurs when water is supplied to several consumers at the same time, for example, to a faucet, toilet bowl and washing machine. To avoid it, it is recommended to purchase hoses with a plastic coating.
Technical indicators
The main parameters of the water supply are pressure and temperature. Standard pressure values in different systems differ:
- Centralized water supply - 4 atm.
- Autonomous heating of a private house - 1.5–3 atm.
- Central heating - 2-4 atm.
In centralized water pipes, pressure fluctuations, therefore it is recommended to choose hose strength with a margin of 20-25%. The table shows the technical characteristics of flexible hoses with different braids.
| Braid | Max. pressure, atm | Max. temperature, °C | Durability, years |
| Aluminum | 5 | 80 | 3 |
| stainless steel steel | 10 | 95 | 10 |
| Nylon | 20 | 110 | 15 |
Bellows eyeliner has higher rates, but here it is important who the manufacturer is. AQUAPROF hoses are designed for operating pressures up to 16 atm and temperatures up to 150 °C, while the GIANT variety of the same type has an increased capacity and withstands temperatures up to 250 °C.
How to choose a flexible eyeliner?
To choose the right hose, consider the following parameters.
- The sleeve must be suitable for temperature and pressure. For example, a flexible connection to the toilet can be of any type, but only a hose for hot water is suitable for a boiler.
- Braid material is selected based on operating conditions. In a room with poor ventilation, where condensation may occur, it is better not to use a product with a metal braid.
The reliability of the eyeliner depends on its flexibility. You can check it by taking one end and placing the hose horizontally. If it bends slightly, then elasticity (and, accordingly, reliability) is low.
- The fittings are selected without defects, the sleeves must be pressed around the entire perimeter. The material for the manufacture of fittings is nickel-plated brass or stainless steel. For gas, aluminum is used, which is completely unsuitable for supplying water, as it quickly deteriorates in a humid environment.
- Hoses for domestic water pipes should be made of high-quality rubber without a characteristic chemical odor.
The hose for cold water is marked with a blue braided tape, for hot - red. If the inserts have both colors, the product is universal. Cheap products do not have such markings.
- The sleeve is equipped with union nuts or fittings of sufficient thickness and strength so that they do not crack when tightened. If the eyeliner is too light, then the fittings are made of silumin or plastic, and the braid is made of aluminum.
Reliable products are purchased in specialized stores in high-quality packaging and with markings and a certificate (GOST 6286-73). In the attached passport, you must find the expiration date. If it is less than 5 years old, we do not recommend taking such a hose.
- The tips must fit the pipes to which the flexible hose is connected. The following combinations are possible: nut-fitting (female-male), nut-nut (female-female, as in the photo below), fitting-fitting (male-male).
After the service life declared by the manufacturer, the flexible hose must be replaced.
We focus on quality
To create durable products requires complex technology and high-quality materials. Handicraft production, which subsequently leads to accidents, is characterized by the following features:
- Weak compression of the braid due to the lack of special equipment and the use of sleeves made of low-quality materials.
- Low strength and corrosion of connecting elements.
- Rapid aging of technical rubber from which hoses and gaskets are made.
- The use of ordinary galvanized wire for braiding, the service life of which does not exceed 1 year.
Reliable products have an accompanying passport. High quality products last 10 years. If an aluminum braid is used, this value is reduced by a factor of 2. The stated period is often exceeded, so it is important to find a reliable manufacturer.
Italian and Spanish firms have proven themselves well. It is worth paying attention to anti-vibration models, which are distinguished by a large outer diameter. The equipment eliminates the hum in the pipes when using pumps. The cost of such an eyeliner is several times higher than that of the domestic one.
High-quality products with a large number of positive reviews are produced by the Russian companies Aquatechnika, Monolith, and Flexiline. Stainless steel bellows is produced under the German brand WITZENMANN and the Italian PARIGI. Some models are even suitable for heating systems. High quality bellows sleeves encased in plastic insulation.
Connection rules
The eyeliner in different systems is connected through mounting elements at the ends of the product - union nuts and fittings. The hose model is selected according to its length, type of connection and size of the mounting assembly. Fittings are available with a cross section from 0.5″ to 1.5″. The hose is attached freely, without tension. Otherwise, deformation of the pressed-in connecting fittings occurs.
With different diameters of the mixer and the pipeline, the inlet at one end is fixed through an adapter.
When installing, you must follow the connection rules (SNiP 2.04.01-85).
- Before installation in the eyeliner, the fastening of the reinforcement at the ends is inspected, the presence of gaskets, the quality of the thread and braid are checked.
- After installation, within half an hour, you need to check the joints: if there are any leaks. When drops appear at the joints, the nuts are tightened.
- The bending radius should exceed the outer diameter by more than 5-6 times.
- The hose is not stretched or twisted during installation.
- When tightening, do not apply excessive force: the seal may be damaged. If there is no experience, tightening is done by hand, followed by a slight tightening with a key.
- The hose does not withstand open flames or high temperatures.
- Once every six months, the tightness of the fastening is checked and an external inspection of the eyeliner is performed.
- To avoid electrochemical corrosion, pairs of the same metal are connected.
- It is recommended to replace the eyeliner at least every 3-5 years.
When installing a flexible hose, it is prohibited:
- Use it in continuous flow mode.
- Install without gaskets or with mechanical damage.
- Operate the product at negative temperatures.
Important conclusion + video
To connect plumbing, metal pipes are used less and less. You can bring water with the help of convenient flexible devices that are easy to attach with your own hands. But you have to do it wisely.
ibuilder.decorexpro.com/en/ recommends: treat the choice and installation of the flexible type with all responsibility, change the sleeve regularly. Carefully monitor the condition of the hose, the integrity of the braid. A bursting eyeliner is the most common cause of accidents with flooding of neighbors from below.
Before buying and installing, be sure to watch the videos below. From them you will learn:
- how to choose the right product, what to look for;
- what are the weak points of the elastic eyeliner;
- where and how it is impossible to mount it;
- how to install a flexible hose according to all the rules;
- How do you know when it's time to change your eyeliner?
