Keeping your hose clean from wear, tear, dirt, and debris extends the life of your hose and ensures your team stays safe each time they use it.
Snap-tite Hose products are built to meet the highest quality specifications for superior performance and durability. The following everyday care and handling recommendations will help to ensure a long service life from your product.
SNAP-TITE HOSE BEST TIPS AND PRACTICES FOR MAINTAINING YOUR HOSE
- All hose should be kept out of direct sunlight in a well-ventilated location, and should be drained and thoroughly dried before storage.
- When rolling coiled hose, be sure male coupling is on the inside to avoid thread damage.
- Any hose stored in a hose bed should be loaded by laying the hose flat—never on its edge or fold. Lay the hose across the bed in alternating layers, rather than loading one row of hose all the way to the top of the hose bed.
- Hose should be removed and reloaded on the hose bed at least once every six months to allow for visual inspection.
- Avoid dragging hose along its edge or fold, as this causes excessive abrasion of the outer jacket.
- Never drive over the hose unless it is bridged and the vehicle has sufficient ground clearance to cross the bridged hose.
- Maximum advised operating/working pressure should not exceed 90% of the Service Test pressure, which is stenciled on the hose.
Overall maintenance can help extend the life of your hose to get the most out of your investment.
HOW TO ROUTINE CLEAN TO EXTEND THE LIFE IF YOUR HOSE AND GET THE MOST OUT OF IT
- MAKE SURE IT IS STRETCHED OUT: It’s important to lay your hose down completely stretched out and make sure it’s free of kinks or folded spots. This makes cleaning it easier and you will know that your hose is fully cleaned. Make sure the spot you pick to lay the hose is level and clean. A clean and level washing spot also allows for proper draining once you have flushed the hose out when the cleaning is complete. Take extra care around the male coupling threads.
- CLEAN AND BRUSH THE COUPLINGS: Don’t forget to take the time to brush and clean the hose couplings. These couplings are so important in attaching the hose to a water source so don’t skip this step! This also allows you to get a good visual inspection to make sure that this hose is free of debris and wear. Carefully turn the hose over to the opposite side once you have one side cleaned, and thoroughly rinse the hose with clean water. Using a long-handled brush with soft to medium bristles scrub the entire length of hose with mild, soapy water. The soapy water helps to reduce debris and contaminants that are left on the hose after a fire.
- RINSE WITH CLEAN WATER: Unwind the hose all the way and lay it in flat sections. Use clean water at a low pressure to rinse out the inside of your hose. Use extra care around the threaded couplings to make sure they are protected. Rinsing with clean water is important because you don’t want to add back any contaminants that you were trying to flush out!
- CONSIDER WHAT THE HOSE HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO: Use the manufacturer’s best practices when considering how to clean and the correct way to decontaminate. It’s always good to be safe and clean per instructions on what you think your hose has been exposed to. Mild soap and clean water will help reduce the amount of debris and contaminants that are left on your hose if you don’t know what your hose was exposed to, so more cleaning could be required.
- MAKE SURE TO FLUSH IT: If you use soap to clean your hose, make sure it’s rinsed completely. Using clean water to rinse after you wash helps to make sure that the soap and dirty water has run out of the hose (and the hose is clean on the inside.) Run clean flushing water through the hose until the water runs clear, and then a few more seconds after. This allows any pesky suds that may be stuck to be rinsed out.
- DRY IT OUT: Dry the hose thoroughly using the method best suited for the weather conditions and facility equipment (hose tower, hose dryer, etc.). It is best to not dry the hose on hot pavement or under intense sunlight.
Snap-tite Hose recommends these tips to not only clean your hose when necessary but to also maintain your hose over time so you get the most out of the life of your hose.
Each and every day Snap-tite Hose remains true to our commitment to engineer and manufacture the industry’s best firehose. Every day our team, 150-strong, works at the Company’s two facilities in Pennsylvania to deliver on that quality promise.
If you would like to find a dealer near you, follow this link to find your local distributor of Snap-tite Hose products.
If you would like to see our hose flow in person, fill out the form below to request a demo. The Snap-tite Hose sales staff will come to you and bring hose for you to try out yourself! Once you see our hose in action you will be convinced this is the hose for you.