16 / 116
1 6
PLUMBING CONNECTION Summer 2017
L
ast edition,
Plumbing Connection
introduced readers to the issue
of bursting flexible braided
hoses, which are costing home owners
thousands of dollars a year in water
damage.
According to research conducted
by general insurer IAG, flexible braided
hoses accounted for 22% of water
damage claims in Australian households
in 2016, with the claims most likely to
be for kitchen and bathroom damage.
IAG has even labelled flexible connectors
a “ticking time bomb” and put notices
on its website advising home owners
that flexible hoses have a lifespan of
between five and ten years, and should
be checked by a licensed plumber every
two years.
However, it’s unlikely consumers
will heed this warning and it seems
the onus is on the plumbing industry
to collectively work together to do
something about this issue.
In late July
Plumbing Connection
organised a Flexible Connector
Workshop in Melbourne with a range of
industry stakeholders to discuss what
product types are failing and in what
applications, the influences that lead
to product failure and how to ultimately
reduce the incidence of failures.
The aim of this workshop was to start
the discussion process about ways the
plumbing industry can take the issue
forward.
The following people attended:
∫ Abey Australia general manager Geoff
Anderson
∫ PROVE Standards and Engineering
plumbing test consultant Terry Nguyen
∫ Metropolis Solutions chartered loss
adjuster David Pockett
∫ Metropolis Solutions forensic plumber
Russell Kirkwood
∫ IAPMO Oceania technical manager
Glenn Tate
∫ Shinners Plumbing owner and Master
Plumbers Association (MPA) Victoria
vice president Kevin Shinners.
∫ Aquaknect Flexibles general manager
Tom Davies
Our thanks go to the attendees for
their time.
THE EMERGENCE OF FLEXIBLE
CONNECTORS
The first braided stainless steel
flexible hoses came onto the Australian
market as far back as 25 years ago
and quickly became popular with
the plumbing industry. Made from
ethylene propylene diene monomer
(EPDM) rubber or PEX and armoured in
braided layers of stainless steel, these
hoses replaced standard copper pipe
installations from wall outlets to taps in
kitchens, bathrooms, hot water services
and laundries. This article primarily
focuses on the performance of the
EPDM tube version.
COVER STORY
FLEXIBLE BRAIDED HOSES
Following on from the previous edition,
Plumbing
Connection
organised a workshop with a range of industry
stakeholders to discuss the issue of bursting flexible
connectors. Adelle King reports.