Standard Black Hose
Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) hoses, commonly known as black rubber washing machine hoses.
Most types of washer hoses fail at, or within a few inches of the coupling, especially the common black OEM washer hose. It most often bursts where the coupling is crimped, or attached to the hose. A washer hose coupling is basically the same design as those found on a garden hose. A hose coupling has three metal components. The nut, or swivel, is the round, threaded part that attaches the hose to a washer’s inlet valve on one end and the water supply valve on the other end.
The second is called an insert, or stem, that forms a metal tube that is “inserted” into the hose. The third component is the ferrule, or collar, positioned below the swivel and over the very end of the hose. The ferrule is then crimped, compressing the hose between the ferrule and insert locking it in place.
Over time, chemicals and minerals naturally found in water can easily corrode and rust the inexpensive, light metal coupling, inside and out. The corroded insert placed inside the hose becomes jagged and sharp. The washing machine’s vibration and movement causes the jagged leading edge of the insert to gradually cut through the hose’s inner tube, allowing the pressurized water to escape and migrate between the tube and outer cover, forming a walnut size bubble, that bursts, creating a soggy, often expensive mess. With 70 pounds of water pressure, a burst hose can discharge 600 gallons of water per hour, weighing some 5,000 pounds, or the weight of a loaded Chevy truck. Imagine this happening while you’re sleeping through the night, away for the weekend, or on vacation.
Manufacturers caution owners to shut off the water supply when not using the machine and to replace the hoses regularly ever 3-5 years. That’s good advice, perhaps, but very few owners comply, or are even aware of it. Are these manufacturers simply good corporate citizens keeping the consumer’s best interest in mind? Okay, maybe they are, sorta, just a tad. Are they indirectly attempting to reduce their legal exposure? Are they trying to limit their defective product liability, which might somehow reduce court ordered judgments against them when a hose fails within that 3-5 year window? Yes to both questions. Are you surprised? Read on.
Manufacturers and their hose suppliers simply have no incentive to provide safe, durable, long lasting hoses with their washers. Millions of washing machines are produced annually and their cost accountants have done their work well. After settling vigorously defended product liability lawsuits in and out of court, profit is still realized in OEM and aftermarket sales of millions of pairs of these cost engineered (read “cheaper”) hoses. Providing a durable hose would increase production costs by millions of dollars and provide no competitive advantage.
They profit much more by not offering a safer hose to consumers. They’re quite aware that an insurance company will only sue a manufacturer and supplier when the amounts are worth going after. They’re not going to spend $15,000 in legal fees to recover $10,000. The larger awards that manufacturers and their hose suppliers do pay are considered the cost of doing business. Consumers and their insurers continue to suffer increasing losses.
