06 Feb. 2020
The Hidden Danger Under Your Sink
The most common insurance claims in Australian homes come from under your sink, also known as a flexi hose or flexible braided hose. They are located underneath bathroom or kitchen sinks or basins in every home throughout Australia. If not installed correctly or maintained, these hoses can cause huge impact and damage to your bathroom or kitchen, and have been revealed as the leading cause of household water issues and damage.
What is a flexi hose?
Have a look under your sink or basins, and you will definitely find a flexi hose; they are adjustable rubber pipes wrapped in stainless steel braiding. Flexi hoses are very common for Australian plumbing as they can be bent into different shapes to fit different sinks and many different locations. They have now replaced the standard copper pipes and are a great solution as they are cost-effective solutions for residential construction and plumbing renovations.
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How do they cause damage?
A flexi hose can cause serious water damage to kitchens and bathrooms if not found in time. The stainless steel protecting the rubber pipe can be corroded by rust and begin to unravel or come loose at the connection points. If a flexi hose bursts, it will result in water damage, ceiling damage, flooding, damaged walls, and potentially a home that is no longer habitable. Other effects of damage from a burst flexi include:
- Mould growth
- Structural damage to the surrounding space
- Contents damage
- Based on 22,000 Suncorp home insurance claims in 2024, one in ten (10%) water damage claims were caused by burst flexi-hoses.
- The average cost of a burst flexi-hose claim is over $27,500 AUD.
- Suncorp inspected thousands of flexi-hoses over six months and found 30% were at risk of bursting and needed replacing—an average of two flexi-hoses in every home.
- A burst flexi-hose left undiscovered for 24 hours can release enough water to fill a household swimming pool
How can you prevent a flexi hose from bursting?
Most likely, you have a flexi hose installed underneath your basin or sink. We recommend you follow the instructions below to minimize water leaks.
Installation By a Licensed Plumber
We recommend you have a flexi hose installed by a licensed and qualified plumber, it may seem like a simple job, but you can rest assured that the correct installation will be followed and you will not have any water leak or damage in the future. Our team will ensure the right length of hose is being installed and not too loose ortoo tight.
View our license details here.
Maintenance
Having a qualified plumber conduct regular maintenance on your plumbing will ensure you will not face any unexpected water leaks or damage.
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Regular Inspections
Cost cost-effective solution to ensure you won’t have any burst flexi pipes. Our licensed plumbers recommend you check underneath your sink or basin every 3 months to ensure you will not be confronted with any damage. Our team can also meet with you every year for a free home plumbing inspection.
Do you remember when your flexi hoses were inspected by a licensed plumber? Now is the time to get in touch with Quintessential Plumbing. We can arrange one of our plumbers to examine and determine if your flexi hose needs replacement.
Don’t leave it too late, give our friendly team a call on 0403 549 598 or make an online booking today!
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