The best way to keep pressure off of your washing machine hoses is to shut off the water valves to the washing machine when you are not doing laundry... but how many of us remember to do that? By leaving the water on means that the washing machine hoses remain pressurized at 60 to 80 pounds. If these hoses break it could mean that up to 650 gallons of water per hour can pour out of a single 3/8” hose. At 8.33 pounds per gallon, that's more than 2 1/2 tons of water per hour spilling out into your basement! or even worse if the washing machine is located upstairs.

The damage can be incredible when people are away from home and don't catch the problem until hours or even days after a hose has burst. If 650 gallons per hour can pour out of a broken washing machine hose, imagine how much water can escape in three days. One house we know of where the homeowner was away for a week, the basement filled up to the windows! Another homeowner had their second floor washing machine hoses burst and the water that ran down through the first floor ceilings and into the basement caused $40,000 in damages.

Consumer grade hoses that come standard with most washing machines and their equivalent replacements are of minimum quality. Under good conditions these hoses last no more than four or five years.

Shutting off the water valves when the washer is not in use greatly reduces the potential for water damage. But if the pressure's going to be on at all times, it is best to have washing machine hoses that are specifically designed to handle the pressure.