Features flexible hoses for water

In the era of modern building and plumbing materials, it is no longer necessary to puzzle over how and where to place comfortable and discreet plumbing wiring. Soft rigid hoses, enclosed in a robust housing, have replaced the standard rigid pipes. These parts serve for many years with the right choice and operation.

Flexible eyeliner has a number of features, among which positive ones are easily distinguished. But negative nuances should also be mentioned to avoid an unpleasant aftertaste, waste of time, effort and money.

The advantages of this flexible liner:

• full tightness and protection against leaks;
• saving space of the room, allowing you to install additional interior or appliances without regard to bulky pipes;

• ease of changing the location of the connected flexible liner object;
• refusal to use the welding machine;
• protection of the hose against water hammer (in case there is a pressure surge in the water supply, high-quality flexible connection is protected from rupture and leakage of water);
• ease of installation and operation (all major work can be done independently).

Flexible eyeliner, as a rule, is used for various plumbing connections. Most often it is used in bathrooms (connecting to the water of a toilet bowl, faucet, boiler) and in kitchens.

As for the negative assessments of the flexible connection, users most often complain about problems resulting from improper installation of the hose. To avoid this, experts advise to purchase goods only known manufacturer. Also, a guarantee of buying good quality will be a thorough inspection of the product still in the store (before you purchased it).

When choosing to pay attention to a few important points.

• The weight of the liner should not be lighter than a feather. If you have taken such a product in your hand, immediately put it in place. At best, this shlag will serve you a couple of weeks after installation.
• Flexible eyeliner should be easy to bend in different directions.If you have to make an effort to change the shape of the hose, you can safely lay it aside and take on another, since this one is made of low-quality technical rubber, which can simply crumble from bends.

Today there are two categories of flexible water hoses: extension cords and adapters. The latter are standard hoses that connect the necessary devices to the water supply: sinks, toilets, showers and boilers. Usually they have a length of up to 60 cm. The extenders are an auxiliary hose that connects to the adapter to provide the most remote areas with water.

The service life of any liner hose depends on the starting quality of the product, and on the correctness of its installation and operation.

Buying a flexible eyeliner for the bathroom, pay attention to the presence of colored stripes on the reinforced surface:

• red indicates the possibility of using only hot water;
• blue can only be used in cold water supply conditions;
• both lanes immediately indicate that the hose can be installed to supply both hot and cold water.

Thus, when connecting a faucet or toilet to a place where only cold water is always used, all three types of flexible connection can be used. If we are talking about a mixer with two modes of temperature, a boiler or a radiator, the use of hoses with a blue stripe is strictly prohibited.

Also available are flexible connections with a yellow stripe along the entire length of the hose. They are intended only to connect users to the gas supply and have special impregnations and lubricants inside that are unacceptable for use with water, especially for drinking or for washing. Water that passes through this hose is considered technical and has impurities that are dangerous to human health.

Modern manufacturers offer a wide range of connecting water pipes.Their classification is made by type of braid, internal filler (main tube), type, quality and size of fittings. Let us dwell on the most common division, based on the type of braid.

At the specified sign flexible eyeliner is:

• reinforced;
• bellows.

The first is a rubber base (high-quality products made of durable rubber), covered with steel braid. In this case, the casing of such a hose can be made of different materials. For example, galvanized steel and aluminum occupy a leading place among analogues. This is due to the low price - and only. This braid is absolutely short-lived, it practically does not withstand the average pressure of water in the water supply system and very quickly fails. This should not be, because the upper skin of a rubber hose is designed to strengthen it and prevent water from escaping.

For quality and durability, braid made of durable stainless steel wire is considered the best. It provides reliable protection for the internal rubber hose. According to the manufacturers, the operational period of such connections is ten years or more.

Nylon braid is a reinforced treatment of a water hose that can withstand even the maximum pressure in the system.

Choosing a reinforced braid for flexible liner, you automatically get the following advantages:

• installation speed;
• environmentally friendly materials;
• high strength;
• flexibility.

The second type is an elastic corrugation made of stainless steel. Bellows hoses last longer and have higher specifications.

There are two modifications of corrugated elements:

• with established length;
• with variable footage.

For the first, manufacturers immediately determine the standard dimensions, ranging from 20 cm to 80 cm. The step in the length of the product is 10 cm. The second has a floating range over which it can be stretched. For example, you can find bellows liners with a variable length of 150-250 mm, 200-350 mm and others. It is necessary to take into account the fact that the maximum stretching is indicated for reference only - it is undesirable to stretch the liner so much.

The use of bellows hoses for industrial purposes testifies to the quality, strength and durability.Very often, this type of eyeliner is used when connecting sprinklers - ceiling devices for fire extinguishing. The main nuance is the plumbing system. Sprinkler installation is a whole network of pipes in which water is constantly under pressure. Therefore, the choice of high-quality material liner becomes most welcome.

Among the shortcomings of the bellows flexible liner are its noisy work with high pressure in the water supply system. Despite the fact that in modern apartment buildings this happens infrequently, some users recommend using it as rarely as possible in private ownership.

Complete with flexible connections, fittings are usually supplied. Often these are brass fittings or nuts that come in various shapes and sizes. In order to choose the right mount, it is necessary to measure the diameters of the pipes in the room where the installation will be performed.

Sanitary wiring previously was a flowery intricacies of pipes, tubes and adapters. But today, thanks to flexible piping, it has become possible to install devices using water supply in the smallest rooms.Angled flexible eyeliner ensures installation even in hard to reach places. Due to the peculiarities of its mounting, it can be located close to the wall and thus increase the useful area of ​​the room.

The main parameters of flexible connections are the diameter of the hose and its length. In this case, the caliber is important not only in the tube, but also in the fittings. For example, modern flexible liners are made with a maximum diameter of 1-2 inches. And the most commonly used options are 1/2, 3/4 and 3/8.

As for the length of the reinforced or corrugated hose, then each manufacturer has its own. In addition, it is practically individual for each individual case. If we consider a stationary liner, then the maximum length is 60 cm. In corrugated sliding models, this indicator can only start from a mark of 500 mm, and finish - within 5000 mm. The latter are extremely rare, mainly on an industrial scale.

The most popular today are flexible liner made in Italy. They have proven themselves in the construction market, and many users are happy to note their advantages.

One of the most popular Italian tread brands today is Parigi. According to customers, products of this brand has high strength. The manufacturer guarantees the service life of reinforced flexible hoses from 3 to 5 years, bellows products can last more than 7 years. Particular attention Italians pay details: fittings and nuts are made of high quality nickel and have a service life of more than 10-15 years. Prices for products are high, which is about 60% of users consider the main drawback.

Mateu - Spanish manufacturer, which has established itself as a quality manufacturer of the average price segment. In sets of faucets for the kitchen or bathroom it is very often possible to find flexible eyeliners with metal braid of this particular company. They also produce in large quantities products of their own brands for large construction hypermarkets.

Another feature of the Spanish manufacturer is the production of reinforced liners using PEX hoses. According to the descriptions of professionals, this type of hose has a maximum service life, since they are made of cross-linked polyethylene. The operation of such material in some cases reaches 50 years.Another feature of the PEX hose is its versatility: flexible connections with such a base can be used to connect both complex devices (for example, heating systems) and more simple ones (cold and hot water supply).

Domestic sanitary tech also does not stand still. A large number of high-quality but more affordable products are produced by manufacturers such as "Giant", "Monolith", "Aquatekhnika". Users note a large number of advantages for these connections. Still, approximately 50% of respondents insist on the inconsistency of some of the technical characteristics indicated in the passport of the product, but in general are satisfied with the purchase.

Connections between plumbing systems are carried out through special mounting fixtures. As mentioned earlier, these are fittings and nuts.The hose must be attached loosely, slightly sagging, so when choosing the length based on a large figure. As for the fittings themselves, they come in different diameters (0.5-1.5 in.) And different shapes. If the water pipe and liner have different diameters, a special adapter comes to the rescue, which can be easily found in all plumbing stores.

Consider the basic rules for installing flexible liner for water.

• Before installation, and even better before purchase, make a full inspection of the fittings (fixtures). Check whether the gasket is in place, in what condition the thread and braid.
• After installation, you must connect the water supply to the system and within 30-40 minutes to check the operation of the liner for leakage. If a leak does appear, try tightening the nuts a little tighter. But with this, too, you need not to overdo it, so as not to spoil the mount.
• The bending of the hose is allowed in a ratio of not more than 5-6 diameters of the outer tube.

• Shlag is very afraid of high temperatures, so try to avoid using the product in adverse conditions for it.
• Twice a year it is imperative to check the tightness of the installation and inspect the external state of the flexible connection.
• In case of shortage of hose length, you can purchase a special extension cord. In order to avoid metal corrosion due to the electromechanical reaction, it is necessary to use pairs of the same material.
• Despite the service life specified by the manufacturer, it is recommended to replace flexible connections at least once every 3-5 years.

Among the prohibitions, there are three immutable rules:

• do not use in continuous flow mode;
• do not install without gaskets or with visible defects;
• Do not operate at a low negative temperature.

The scope of application of flexible hoses is wide enough. One of the main rules here will be the appropriateness of their use in this particular situation. There are cases when similar products were used to connect the fan coil - elements of the air conditioning system and ventilation. Any flexible reinforced or bellows water fittings have a wide variety of fasteners. In the language of professionals, they are called: "mom" - "mom", "dad" - "mom", "dad" - "dad". "Mom" is expressed here cap nut, and "Dad" - a long fitting.

In the process of installing a flexible water liner, you cannot do without recommendations and expert advice, especially if you are installing it yourself and for the first time.

Having decided on a flexible eyeliner for water, you risk, unfortunately, to face purchase of a low-quality fake.

To avoid this, here is a list of basic recommendations for purchasing a good product.

• Buy only in trusted outlets and from reputable manufacturers.
• Reliable products are always completed with a passport with a description of technical characteristics (for example, the maximum pressure and temperature in the system that this hose can withstand), the period and operating rules. Quality models usually have a designated shelf life of up to 10 years.
• In addition to the accompanying documents, each product has special markings with the same technical specifications, manufacturer, diameter, and others.
• All official brands put only certified positions on the plumbing market.

• Due to their design bellows liners usually have an increased noise generation.But this can be avoided if you buy such hoses with a special plastic coating.
• The best material for cap nuts and fittings is brass with nickel-plated, and aluminum or hybrid steel-aluminum components serve three times less - no more than 3 years.
• Sometimes in the process of screwing the eyeliner it may be twisted, unnecessary bending. Such moments should be avoided and closely monitor the condition of the hose. Otherwise, it may lead to early abrasion of the rubber component and its immediate replacement.
• When visually assessing the quality of the flexible hose, pay attention to the braid, which should be uniform, without any burrs, protruding tails and other defects, and the fittings should be of high quality pressure tested.
• The included rubber pads, as a rule, rarely serve their owner for a long time. Perhaps there is a need to purchase more durable products made of silicone or paronite.

Craftsmen with ease share recipes for hand-made production of flexible liner with reinforced braid.

The components of one of them include:

• flexible stainless steel pipe;
• a device for trimming pipes;
• roller;
• nuts;
• rubber or silicone gaskets.

The technology is to cut off the necessary piece of pipe, roll in both its edges, fix them with a retaining ring, tighten the nuts and install the gaskets.

There is nothing complicated about installing a flexible water liner., but there are a number of nuances on the choice of necessary details. Therefore, carefully pay attention to all the details even before making payment for the product, so as not to have to return and buy a new eyeliner.

About the properties of flexible water liner, see the following video.