Source
r/DIYUK•
borg88

Are flexible tap connectors going to be a problem?

Sorry not strictly DIY, we had a sink replaced and the plumber fitted flexible tap connectors to replace the existing copper pipe. I'd actually never seen them before.

Since then I've read various horror stories that they burst after a few years. I even read somewhere that a major Australian home insurer says they account for 20% of all house floods.

I can see why the plumber fitted them, quicker and easier, but he isn't going to have to deal with problems if it floods in a few years.

I get the impression that they have become the norm now, so I guess they can't be that bad or they would have stopped using them.

How much of a problem are they?

Posted Feb 10, 2022, 8:03 PM UTC

16
Lychaeus963•

Never had an issue with them

3
[deleted]•

They are slightly lower flow than copper pipe. Other than that no negatives

2
EssexPriest88•

I imagine 80-90% of new kitchens or bathrooms use flex, so I wouldn't worry.

1
IanBealsChristmaShag•

I had an old one (13 years+) rupture in the middle of the night at a public building i look after. Flooded about 200 sq/m of parquet floor which subsequently had to be repaired/ replaced. ‘Twas a complete nightmare to say the least. Went around the building and replaced about 30 of the oldest ones and turned the water pumps on to a timer so the water shuts off when the premises is unmanned. When buying them now i always purchase the most expensive WRAS approved ones that I can and always make sure there are no kinks or loose metal strands on the braid when fitting. Overall i think they’re a necessary evil and the chances of them breaking is slim (if installed correctly) but i would definitely avoid cheap unbranded ones if you can and keep an eye on them.

1
geekypenguin91•

Very few taps come with anything different now. They're really not that bad.

We have them on all our taps bar one which has hard copper pipes. Guess which one leaks?

1
blackthornjohn•

Most failures are down to bad installation, the flexible hose needs to be in a relaxed state upon tightening, this means no twists or tight bends that cause crimping, since their introduction plumbers have either learned to install them properly or there has been a massive increase in quality, because failure now ie rare compared to the introduction years.

1