How to replace washing machine hoses

Updated October 10, 2026. By the OakTend team.

Two fill hoses carry hot and cold water from the valves in the wall to the back of the washer. They stay under water pressure whether the washer is running or not. Replacing them means unscrewing the old pair and threading on new ones.

How often: Whirlpool says to replace fill hoses every five years. Kenmore's manual adds: replace them sooner if you find bulges, kinks, cuts, wear or leaks, so look whenever you are behind the washer.
What you need: Two new washer fill hoses with flat washers (braided stainless steel is sturdier than plain rubber), Pliers, Bucket and towels, Permanent marker

Why it matters

A study by the Institute for Business and Home Safety, reported by Insurance Journal, found that hose failures climb sharply after five years, that failed hoses averaged 8.7 years old, and that broken supply hoses caused more than half of washing machine water damage claims. High water pressure adds strain.

Steps

Turn off the hot and cold valves behind the washer.
Pull the washer out far enough to reach the hoses, and set a bucket and towels underneath.
Unscrew both hoses from the valves and from the washer, and drain them into the bucket.
Check that each new hose has a flat rubber washer firmly seated in both ends.
Screw the hot hose onto the hot valve and the cold hose onto the cold, by hand until seated, then two-thirds of a turn more with pliers. Do not overtighten.
Point the free ends into the bucket and open the valves briefly to flush out grit that could clog the washer's inlet screens.
Connect the hoses to the washer the same way, open the valves and check every connection for drips.
Push the washer back without kinking the hoses, and write today's date on each hose.

When to call a pro

Call a plumber if a wall valve will not turn, will not shut off all the way or leaks at the handle. Those valves can sit untouched for years, so do not force a stuck one with pliers.

Safety

Run the washer only when someone is home, and shut both valves before a trip. Kenmore's manual gives both rules: a pressure surge while you are away can flood the house.

General information, not professional advice. Your equipment's manual comes first when it says something different.

Sources

Whirlpool: checking the fill hoses
Fill hoses should be replaced every five years; check for kinks; inlet screens on the washer's water valve can clog.
Sears: Kenmore automatic washer owner's manual and installation instructions
Replace inlet hoses after five years and whenever bulges, kinks, cuts, wear or leaks are found; mark the replacement date; seat new flat washers; hand tighten then two-thirds of a turn with pliers, without overtightening; flush the lines into a bucket; turn off the water supply when away.
Insurance Journal: building updates, aging plumbing systems (2013)
An Institute for Business and Home Safety study: failure rates rise sharply after five years, failed hoses averaged 8.7 years old, and broken supply hoses were more than half of washing machine water damage claims; standard rubber hoses lose resiliency with age, and braided stainless steel is one of the sturdier alternatives.