The rubber hoses that come packed in the tub of a new washing machine are a serious concern for insurance companies due to their high rate of failure and the flood remediation cost after they burst. Here’s a few statistics from a 2012 report by the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), an insurance industry safety group:
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✦Washing machine related failures are one the top 10 sources of residential water damage insurance claims, and supply hose failure accounts for over half of the claims.
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✦The typical claim costs the insurer an average of $5,308 after the homeowner’s deductible.
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✦The claims that occurred for unoccupied homes were an average of two-and-a-half times more than occupied homes.
Rubber supply hoses fail due the repeated sudden change in water pressure each time the washer’s automatic solenoid valve abruptly shuts off the water flow—which causes them to balloon out and then retract, weakening the rubber a little at each cycle.
Washing machine manufacturers have a warning message in the machine’s manual that states “TURN FAUCETS OFF WHEN WASHER IS NOT IN USE,” and states that they are not rated for continuous water pressure. Unfortunately, most homeowners do not follow those directions and, even though your homeowner’s insurance covers you for the water damage, the aftermath is expensive, miserable and easily avoidable.
