Contents
- №1.Design shower hose
- №2.Types of external winding
- №3.The size of the connecting elements
- №4.The length of the hose
- №5.Protection against kink
- №6.What else to consider when choosing?
- №7.Manufacturers of shower hoses
- №8.How to install a shower hose?
- # 9.Care and maintenance of hose
- №10.Do-it-yourself shower hose repair
Just imagine how many tons of water a shower hose passes through! It is not surprising that over time it breaks, begins to flow, and then it becomes a matter of replacing the hose. It would seem that there is difficult? But in the store an unprepared buyer will meet hoses of different lengths, with different braiding, and even with a different threaded connection. Of course, you can just take the old hose with you and trust the seller’s opinion, but in order to buy a really high-quality and suitable product in all respects, it’s better to first figure out how to choose a flexible hose for the shower head, and that it is important to pay attention when buying.
№1.Design of the shower hose
The flexible hose for the shower has an extremely simple design :
- inner tube;
- outer sheath( may be absent);
- two nuts for fastening the hose to the mixer and watering can.
The internal tube of the is made of plastic or rubber, you can also find products with a nylon tube. Plastic is the cheapest option, but does not differ in record durability. In addition, it is sensitive to pressure drops. The best option is an inner tube made from rubber, but such a hose will cost a little more. To understand what kind of material is used is not difficult. Enough to look inside the hose, and if you see a white tube, it is most likely plastic. You can also try to stretch the hose: the rubber stretches well, but with a plastic tube this will not work.
Some manufacturers produce shower hoses that consist only of transparent plastic .Such products look very interesting, especially when water flows through them. Such a hose can be taken if there is a flow-through filter at home, otherwise you will soon be able to observe lime deposits inside the tube, so there is no question of aesthetics of speech. 
However, a hose without external winding is a rarity. Coating the tube performs several important functions, including protection against external mechanical influences, kinks and destruction under the influence of pressure drops and high temperatures. The external winding improves the aesthetics of the hose and can be made of metal, plastic, have a silicone coating. Appearance and performance depend on the type of material.
connecting elements are located at both ends of the hose. The flat nut is designed to be connected to the mixer, the cone-like - provides the connection to the watering can. When deciding which shower hose is better to choose, it is important to pay attention not only to the winding and design, but also to the quality of the nuts: the thicker they are, the better.
# 2.Types of external winding
External braid protects the inner tube from a number of negative effects, increases the elasticity of the hose, its strength, durability and durability, increases aesthetics. This is in general, and if you dig deeper, then many properties of the winding will depend on what material it is made of. The most popular options today:
- metal winding;
- plastic winding;
- silicone coated winding.
The metal winding is a classic. It is made of stainless steel, less often - of copper alloys. It has a spiral shape. The metal casing provides the hose with excellent flexibility, well protects the inner tube from kinks and kinks. Moreover, outwardly such a hose looks flawless, can have a chrome-plated surface, be made in bronze or gold color, so you can equip the bathroom in any style. Metal hoses are inexpensive, but they also have some minuses .First, low durability( on average 5-7 years).Secondly, over time, the winding begins to unwind, peel off and break, damaging the inner tube. In addition, the limescale and dirt on the metal will be quite noticeable. 
The plastic case of the copes well with exposure to high temperatures( up to 70-800С), has increased flexibility, is resistant to corrosion, is easy to clean, can be smooth or coiled. There are transparent, colored and chrome-plated plastic hoses available. Chrome-plated products are externally indistinguishable from metal ones, colored ones give vent to imagination in the arrangement of the interior, and transparent ones only for the first time look spectacular. Then they appear drips and even blackened spots. The main disadvantages of the plastic winding - a tendency to drying and cracking. To prolong the life, it is better not to wind the hose tightly - let it freely hang in the shower or bath. The plastic case is not repairable. 
also sells plastic hoses reinforced with metal wire. Such products receive additional strength, durability, resistance to bending and microcracks.
Another good modern solution - metal hose with silicone coating. An additional layer protects the metal from delamination, increasing the durability of the product. In addition, flexibility and resilience increases. Such hoses last longer than ordinary metal hoses, rarely leak, and it is much easier to keep them clean - a silicone fungus will not appear. Of the minuses higher price and weight. 
№3.
connecting elements. The standard thread diameter of the nut at both ends of the hose is 1/2 inch, but there are also 3/8 inch nuts. It is important that the size of the connecting elements of the hose coincides with the size of the connecting elements of the watering can and the mixer. Otherwise, you will have to use special adapters. 
European inch system in the definition of the size of the thread today is used everywhere. There is also a domestic metric system, but it is used very rarely: today it is difficult to meet hoses and watering cans with Russian thread. By the way, by the way, to determine which sample of the thread is used in a particular sample is not easy even for a professional. The nuts of our sample are slightly larger. In order not to be mistaken, the easiest way is to take the old hose with you to the store.
№4.Hose length
Standard is considered to be the length of 150 cm. These hoses have gained maximum popularity, they provide complete freedom of movement, and even the most distant parts of the bath or shower tray with such a hose can be washed seamlessly. At the same time, the hose is not too long and will not get in the way under your feet, there will also be no need to twist it several times.
On sale you can find hoses with a length of 125 cm ( the best option for hygienic shower and shower panel arrangement), 175 and 200 cm .The latter are quite problematic to find, and they are suitable for high shower panels. Be sure to consider the size and characteristics of the shower or bath when choosing the length of the hose. Both too short and too long a hose will cause a lot of inconvenience. So do not save and do not take with a stock. 
№5.Protection against twisting
The ability to twist hoses causes a lot of inconvenience and adversely affects the durability of the product. It is better to take a hose with anti-twist protection, which is realized due to the presence of an bearing or a special swivel cone at the point of fixing the hose to the mixer. Whatever you do with such a hose, there will be no torsion and wrinkles. 
№6.What else to consider when choosing?
. To choose the right shower hose, when buying, pay attention to the following points:
- in preference hoses with additional antibacterial and antifungal protection;
- base of the connecting elements should be brass, not plastic;
- on the hose should not be burrs, nodules and other defects;
- thread curve - a sign of poor quality products. We hope it is clear that such a hose will cause a lot of problems during installation and operation;
- non-uniform color and corrugations of different sizes - one more signs of an unscrupulous manufacturer;
- , complete with hose, must have a pair of gaskets for nuts;
- on the package must contain the manufacturer, as well as all the important parameters of the product.
№7.Manufacturers of shower hoses
The leaders in the market of flexible shower hoses are German companies. Their products are of high quality, durability, reliability, but also cost accordingly. Good products can be found at Czech, Hungarian and domestic manufacturers. In most cases, Chinese hoses are of poor quality, but sometimes there are pleasant exceptions.
The largest shower hose manufacturers include:
- Hansgrohe is a large German company specializing in plumbing. Hoses are represented by several collections, made of different materials. The price range is sufficient, there are budget products, the most expensive( with antibacterial coating) are guaranteed for up to 5 years.
- Grohe is another German company. Its products combine impeccable quality and excellent design. All hoses are warranted; all products receive a Twist-Free protection system;
- Ravak - cheaper Czech hoses. The company uses protection against twisting in the models, manufactures products from 150 to 200 cm long, gives a guarantee;
- Aquanet - domestic manufacturer, offers the widest range of different hoses, prices are reasonable;
- Zegor - a Chinese company, the very exception to the rule. Produces hoses with different windings, incl.plastic with metal reinforcement.
You can also recommend KorDi( Switzerland), IDDIS( Russia), Kludi( Germany) and Nobili( Italy) products. 
№8.How to install a shower hose?
replacing an old shower hose with a new is easy - you don’t have to be a plumber or at least some experience in this area. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- unpack the new hose, check its integrity;
- unscrew the watering can. There is usually no problem, everything is done by hand, but you may need sufficient strength. If the connection does not give in, then the cone of the old hose can be held with a pipe wrench, and the watering can be turned by hand in order not to damage it;
- unscrew the nut on the mixer, you can use the wrench;
- we clean the threads of the mixer and watering can from dirt;
- insert the gasket into the union nut and wind it onto the mixer;
- second gasket is inserted into the cone-shaped nut and tighten the watering can. It is necessary to work with your hands, as the tool can drag the thread;
- turn on the water and check the work done. If water is leaking somewhere, tighten the nuts a little more tightly.
If the thread size on the hose and the mixer or the watering can do not match, you will also need to mount adapters. Installation in this case is somewhat more complicated.
# 9.Care and maintenance of the hose
To shower hose served faithfully for several years, follow a few simple rules when handling it:
- after taking a shower, install the watering can in the holder. Do not throw the hose into the bath or onto the tray, do not twist around the mixer, do not twist, twist, stretch or pinch the product;
- abrasives, aggressive chemicals and hard metal brushes for cleaning the hose are not suitable - it is better to use a soft cloth, a synthetic brush and ordinary detergent compositions;
- is better not to allow the long-term passage of highly hot water through the hose.
If you follow these rules, then even the simplest hose will last a long time. With negligent handling and expensive product will quickly break. 
No. 10.Do-It-Yourself Shower Hose Repair
If the hose has burst somewhere in the middle, then it remains only to buy a new one and make a replacement. If the inner tube is damaged near the watering can, and this happens often enough, then you can try to make a small repair:
- remove the watering can from the hose;
- nuts gently move on the corrugation, the gasket and brass bushings are removed. Act better with a knife, screwdriver and pliers;
- carefully pull the inner tube to the place of its damage, cut off the unnecessary part;The
- tube is heated in warm water( its flexibility and flexibility are increased), all components are reassembled, a new gasket is installed and the tube is inserted into the braid as far as it will go. It remains to fasten the watering can and check the quality of work.
Such repairs often do not perform 1-2 times more often - the hose will become too short.
Finally, we note that it is better not to save money on a shower hose. The load on it will be substantial - a poor-quality product will quickly fail.
