Choosing a liner for kitchen faucet, it would be desirable, that it was not only inexpensive and easy to install, but also quite reliable. The space under the sink is not too spacious to hold regular repairs here. And how often do you have to look with the keys and the tow depends on the proper installation of plumbing in the kitchen and the quality of its basic elements.
The most popular type of liner mixers today are flexible hoses (reinforced and bellow). They really convenient to work, but if they meet the requirements of reliability? Let's investigate.
Features Hydraulic Hose
By itself, this eyeliner is made of sealed rubber hoses, which protects the exterior metal wire braid. For connecting the mixer to the piping in the kitchen at both ends of each segment are provided standard fittings: fittings and connecting nuts.
The main advantages of such a liner is precisely due to its flexibility:
- The possibility of "curved" to connect to kitchen Faucets without creating additional angles and turns the water pipe. This is particularly important when installing the faucet on a sink, where the free space in the cabinet can be employed in cases, boxes or other devices (e.g., filters for drinking water).
- A certain part of the mobility of the loose hose that allows it to safely react to thermal expansion without a load on the fixed connection.
- Not being waterhammer in the system.
- Easy installation - no welding and soldering.
All this against a background of low cost flexible hoses for the kitchen faucet looks very attractive. However, disadvantages, as expected, proved to be a continuation of merit. The result is a problem that can you create a properly chosen hoses:
- The risk of rapid deterioration of the inner tube due to friction on the rigid sheath. In most cases such damaged hoses directly at the inlet of the mixer - once under the fitting.
- "Disposable" seals - just tighten the screws when the next audit is often found that the pads simply crushed or torn in several places thread. To re-tighten a hose, it is necessary to make a new ear.
- Fragility most braid - inexpensive metals oxidize rapidly and destroyed by condensation water.
Also, many cons reinforced liner associated with the abundance of the market is not just available, but frankly cheap substandard products. Well, if the marriage and negligence of the manufacturer will appear during installation, rather than a week later, when the kitchen is already fully installed, and you will not be home. The best thing in such harsh conditions show themselves reinforced hoses made of rubber expensive - they are more durable than rubber of the EPDM.
Also, when you select should pay attention to the material from which the fittings. Most often it is stainless steel, but if your kitchen is hard water, it is better to overpay, but to purchase podvodku mixer with brass compounds - they accumulate less lime and not nut "Take a strong liking". Sometimes it uses short-lived silumin, and that such products are better not to take.
More or less accurately determine that the low-grade product in front of you, you can by weight. Too easy hose under the sink in the kitchen and not last year or two.
It is very important what kind of material was used for braiding. After all, under the sink it creates its own microclimate, and thus reinforcing wire should be sufficiently resistant to oxidation. The proximity of the two hoses in the kitchen hot and cold water invariably results in the formation of condensate, which will gradually corrode braid:
- Aluminum in such conditions, can withstand a maximum of 3-4 years.
- It is much better behaved stainless steel and nylon - they are afraid of water and also can withstand temperatures up to +110 ° C. Their lifespan is about 10 years.
- Galvanized steel should be considered only as a temporary measure. Well, if it passes at least a year.
Bellows flexible connection
Structurally such hoses for the mixer are little different from reinforced - is that they do not have internal inserts made of rubber or rubber. But if we consider more closely the bellows liner is easy to note that the outer metallic layer is of woven wire and provides a continuous corrugated pipe. The advantages possessed by all flexible hoses in general, there are added, and their own pros bellows:
- High resistance to mechanical damage during compression and fracture.
- Test pressure up to 50 bar, although these hoses are recommended for workers to 16 atm.
- Long-term trouble-free service life - about 25 years.
- Fittings are not pressed into and welded to the laser welding hose that leads to the traditionally weak portion liner to the mixer more reliable.
But here it was not without a spoon of tar. In addition to the high cost, expandable tubing are also very noisy. However, we can partly solve this problem, if you choose the hose with larger diameter than the main pipe. Bellows itself can be made of stainless steel, brass or bronze. Naturally, the products of nonferrous already belong to the premium class and are available only a few European companies of elite plumbing.
(45 estimates mean: 4,60 of 5)
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