Water hoses - Page 2

How is a water hose constructed?

Water hose is constructed of three interconnected layers. These include:

• inner layer - is adapted to the type of water to be transported, which is of particular importance in the case of drinking water, for example;
• reinforcement - responsible for the resistance of the water hose to operating pressure and usually takes the form of a textile, synthetic, or steel braid;
• outer layer - its role is to protect the water hose from environmental conditions and mechanical damage.  
  

In addition to this, there are suction hoses and suction-pressure water hoses which have additional reinforcement in the form of a plastic or stainless steel spiral. This allows the hose to operate under vacuum.

It is also worth mentioning a special type of hose, which is layflat hoses. It is distinguished from others by its soft wall, which makes it collapse and flatten out after operation. This type of hose is most often chosen by firefighters and irrigation system owners.

What to consider when choosing a water hose?

When choosing a water hose, be guided primarily by the following parameters:

• working pressure - indicates the maximum permissible continuous working pressure, beyond which there is a risk of damage/breakage of the hose; 
• working temperature - this indicates at what temperatures the hose can operate; 
• inside diameter - remember, the wider the water hose, the greater the drop in working pressure; 
• bending radius - indicates the allowable bending of the hose, beyond which the wall may collapse, or the hose may break; 
• standards - hoses, especially designed for food and chemicals, must comply with European and national standards.

As water hoses are a very broad product category, you will find a huge number of varieties on the market.  Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, choose the right type of hose before you decide to buy.

What are the types of a water hose?

When it comes to the most popular types of a water hose, we distinguish the following categories:

• cold water hoses - in this group you will mainly find hoses for transporting water. They are made from different types of plastics and rubbers; 
• hot water hoses - these are mainly high-temperature EPDM rubber hoses; 
• fire hoses - as the name suggests, they are used on fire engines and to draw water from hydrants; 
• layflat water hoses - these are soft hoses used exclusively for conveying the medium, 
• hoses for wastewater and contaminated water - designed for contaminated water;
• slurry hoses - they are the equipment of barrel tankers. Slurry hoses are used to transport feces and manure.
  

Of course, there are more types of water hoses, but the above are the most popular and most commonly used in industry.