A steam hose failure in service can result in severe injury to personnel or damage to property. Extreme care must be taken in selection and use of such a product. The following guidelines will reduce the chance of a hose or coupling failure.

1) Steam hose & couplings become very hot in service, do not use at temperatures/pressures above manufacturer recommendations.

2) Use interlocking bolt type couplings on steam hose (so they can be re-tightened before EACH use) and permanent crimp fittings if recommended by the manufacturer; do not use couplings with rubber gaskets or light duty clamps.

3) Always check for loose clamps before and after each use. Check clamps every 24 hours during long periods of continuous service.

4) RMA recommends steam hoses are fully certified once every 3 months for its first year of service, then every month thereafter.

5) Visually inspect before and after each use; cuts in the hose cover which expose the reinforcement are cause for replacement.

6) Drain hose after each use; leftover condensation can popcorn the tube when put back in service. If hose cannot be drained after each use, consider using stainless braided hose. Store in a cool, dark area away from sunlight and ozone.

7) For short lengths, jumpers, constantly flexing lengths, or where the hose cannot be installed easily, stainless braided hose should be used rather than rubber