Maintenance procedure · Written to ASD-STE100 Issue 9 · Formatted to ANSI Z535

Replacing Washing Machine Fill Hoses

The hot and cold inlet hoses behind a domestic washing machine — how to examine them, what the manufacturers say about replacing them, and how to fit new ones without a leak
ApplicabilityDomestic top-load and front-load washing machines fed by two threaded fill hoses from hot and cold water taps.
Task time24 min to 30 min editorial estimate, not a measurement
PersonnelOne
Revisionv1 · 2026-08-12
BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Before you begin. This procedure is general reference information, not professional advice. Equipment varies by manufacturer, model, and year. Always follow the documentation supplied with your equipment — where it differs from this page, follow the manufacturer. Verify that you have the tools, the working conditions, and the ability to do this task safely. If anything is unclear, if the equipment is damaged, or if the task exceeds your experience, stop and use a qualified professional. You are responsible for your own safety and for the outcome. This site accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or injury arising from the use of this information.

Specifications marked unverified could not be traced to a manufacturer source. Do not rely on them — obtain the value from your equipment documentation.

Summary

The two hoses that feed a washing machine are under household water pressure every minute of every day, whether or not the machine is washing anything. A drain hose only carries water while a pump is working; a fill hose is loaded all the time, and when one lets go the water does not stop until somebody closes the tap. That is why a burst washer hose is one of the commonest large domestic water claims, and why the failure is so unfair: it is driven by age and by rubber that has hardened out of sight behind the machine, not by anything you did. Whirlpool's own installation instructions say to replace the inlet hoses every 5 years to reduce the risk of hose failure, and GE Appliances says the same thing in two separate support articles. The job itself is about half an hour with a bucket, a towel and a pair of pliers.

Two things on this page are deliberately not numbers. Nobody publishes a tightening torque for a washer hose coupling — Whirlpool tells you to turn it by hand until it is seated and then give it an additional 2/3 turn with pliers, and that instruction is what this page passes on rather than inventing a figure to go with it. Water supply pressure limits are set by your own machine's manual and they are not the same from brand to brand: Whirlpool's instructions require 20 to 100 psi, and LG's own two support pages give two different upper limits for LG machines, 116 psi on one and 80 psi on the other. Those disagreements are printed here as disagreements and routed to your manufacturer, because averaging them would produce a number nobody published.

Necessary equipment

ItemNote
PliersWhirlpool tells you to use pliers to tighten a coupling an additional 2/3 turn.
BucketA disconnected fill hose holds water. Whirlpool tells you to put each hose end into a bucket.
TowelsPut a towel below each coupling before you loosen it.
Permanent markerWhirlpool tells you to mark the date of replacement on the label of the new hose.
Torch optionalThe space behind a washing machine is dark. A torch makes a crack in the rubber easier to see.
Two new fill hoses materialGE Appliances gives 4 feet as the usual length for its own fill hoses. The coupling size is 3/4 inch.
Rubber seals materialA new fill hose usually includes a rubber seal for each end. LG tells you to put a rubber seal into the threaded fitting of each hose.

Examine the fill hoses

Estimated 4 min to 4 min

NOTEDo this examination one time each year. It needs no tools.
Fill hose replacement interval
Unverified — do not rely on this value
CONSULT THE MANUFACTURER DOCUMENTATION FOR YOUR WASHING MACHINE. WHIRLPOOL AND GE APPLIANCES BOTH PUBLISH AN INTERVAL FOR THEIR OWN MACHINES, AND STEP 4 OF THIS PAGE GIVES IT WITH THE SOURCE.

No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.

NOTICE

EXAMINE THE TWO FILL HOSES ONE TIME EACH YEAR.
A fill hose that fails releases water until a person closes the tap.

  1. Find the two fill hoses at the back of the washing machine.
    • One fill hose goes to the hot water tap.
    • The other fill hose goes to the cold water tap.
    • GE Appliances puts the letters H and C in the metal above the two ports.
    <1m
  2. Examine the full length of each fill hose.
    • LG tells you to find a crack or a tear in the length of the hose.
    • Whirlpool tells you to replace a hose that has a bulge, a kink, a cut, wear, or a leak.
    2m
  3. Examine each of the four couplings for rust or moisture.
    • Moisture at a coupling shows a leak or a loose coupling.
    • A rust mark below a coupling shows an older leak.
    1m
  4. Find the date of installation on the label of each fill hose.
    • Whirlpool tells you to mark the date of replacement on the label of the hose.
    • Whirlpool and GE Appliances tell you to replace the fill hoses every 5 years.
    • If the label shows no date, replace the two fill hoses now.
    <1m

Stop the water supply and the electrical supply

Estimated 2 min

NOTEThis section makes the work area safe before you loosen a coupling.
WARNING

CLOSE THE HOT WATER TAP AND THE COLD WATER TAP BEFORE YOU LOOSEN A COUPLING.
Hot water in the hose can burn your skin.

  1. Close the hot water tap and the cold water tap for the washing machine.
    • The two taps are usually in a box in the wall behind the washing machine.
    <1m
WARNING

DISCONNECT THE WASHING MACHINE FROM THE ELECTRICAL SUPPLY BEFORE YOU REMOVE A FILL HOSE.
Contact between water and the electrical supply can give you an electric shock.

  1. Disconnect the washing machine from the electrical supply.
    • Remove the plug from the wall outlet.
    <1m
  2. Put a bucket and a towel below the couplings at the washing machine.
    <1m

Remove the used fill hoses

Estimated 4 min to 6 min

NOTEEach used fill hose holds water after you close the taps.
  1. Loosen the coupling of each fill hose at its water tap.
    • Whirlpool tells you to use pliers on a tight coupling.
    • Turn the coupling counterclockwise.
    2m
  2. Put each free hose end into the bucket.
    • The water in the hose drains into the bucket.
    • A fill hose holds water after you close the taps.
    1m
NOTICE

DO NOT INSTALL A USED FILL HOSE AGAIN.
Whirlpool and LG tell you to install new hoses. A used fill hose can fail and cause a flood.

  1. Remove each fill hose from the back of the washing machine.
    • Let the water drain into the bucket.
    • Discard the two used fill hoses.
    2m

Install the new fill hoses

Estimated 7 min to 8 min

NOTEThe hot fill hose and the cold fill hose are the same part. The tap you attach it to makes it hot or cold.
Fill hose coupling tightening torque
Unverified — do not rely on this value
CONSULT THE MANUFACTURER DOCUMENTATION FOR YOUR WASHING MACHINE. NO MANUFACTURER DOCUMENT THAT THIS PAGE READ GIVES A TORQUE VALUE FOR A FILL HOSE COUPLING.

No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.

Fill hose coupling size
Unverified — do not rely on this value
READ THE SIZE FROM THE COUPLING OF THE USED FILL HOSE, OR CONSULT THE MANUFACTURER DOCUMENTATION FOR YOUR WASHING MACHINE.

No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.

Fill hose length
Unverified — do not rely on this value
MEASURE THE USED FILL HOSE, OR MEASURE THE DISTANCE FROM THE TAP TO THE INLET AND ADD A MARGIN.

No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.

  1. Examine the rubber seal in each end of each new fill hose.
    • LG tells you to put a rubber seal into the threaded fitting of each hose.
    • A rubber seal that is absent or torn causes a leak.
    <1m
  2. Attach a new fill hose to the hot water inlet of the washing machine.
    • Whirlpool marks the hot water inlet with a red ring on its own washing machines.
    • Turn the coupling clockwise by hand until it is tight.
    • LG tells you not to cross the thread.
    1m
  3. Attach the second new fill hose to the cold water inlet of the washing machine.
    • Turn the coupling clockwise by hand until it is tight.
    1m
NOTICE

DO NOT MAKE A COUPLING TOO TIGHT.
Do not put tape or sealant on a coupling or on a valve. Damage to the valve can occur.

  1. Tighten the two couplings at the washing machine with pliers.
    • Whirlpool gives an additional 2/3 turn with pliers for its own washing machines.
    • No manufacturer document that this page read gives a torque value for a fill hose coupling.
    1m
  2. Attach the free end of each new fill hose to its water tap.
    • Attach the hose from the hot water inlet to the hot water tap.
    • Attach the hose from the cold water inlet to the cold water tap.
    • Turn each coupling clockwise by hand until it is tight.
    2m
  3. Tighten the two couplings at the water taps with pliers.
    • Whirlpool gives an additional 2/3 turn with pliers for its own washing machines.
    1m

Examine the couplings and record the date

Estimated 7 min to 10 min

Water supply pressure limits for the washing machine
Unverified — do not rely on this value
CONSULT THE MANUFACTURER DOCUMENTATION FOR YOUR WASHING MACHINE. THE LIMITS ARE DIFFERENT FOR EACH MAKER AND EACH MODEL, AND THE FAQ BELOW NAMES THE FIGURES THIS PAGE FOUND AND WHERE THEY DISAGREE.

No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.

  1. Open the hot water tap and the cold water tap slowly.
    • Whirlpool tells you that the two taps must be open for the washing machine to operate correctly.
    <1m
  2. Examine each of the four couplings for a leak.
    • Touch each coupling with a dry paper towel to find a slow leak.
    • Whirlpool tells you that a small quantity of water can go into the washing machine and drain later.
    2m
  3. If a coupling leaks, close the two water taps and tighten that coupling.
    • Examine the rubber seal of that coupling again.
    • If the same coupling leaks after two attempts, see the professional boundary below.
    2m
  4. Connect the washing machine to the electrical supply.
    <1m
  5. Write today's date on the label of each new fill hose.
    • Whirlpool tells you to use a permanent marker on the label.
    • Write the same date in your equipment record.
    <1m
  6. Start a wash cycle.
    <1m
  7. Examine the four couplings again at the end of the wash cycle.
    • The machine fills two times or more during one cycle.
    1m

Terminology

This page uses one term for each item and holds it throughout, as ASD-STE100 requires. Equipment sellers and other guides use the names below for the same parts.

fill hose
Also called: inlet hose, water inlet hose, washer hose, washing machine hose, water supply hose, braided hose, hot and cold hoses
rubber seal
Also called: flat washer, hose washer, rubber washer, gasket, the little rubber ring in the end of the hose
water tap
Also called: faucet, spigot, washer valve, laundry box valve, shutoff, the taps behind the washer
washing machine
Also called: washer, clothes washer, laundry machine
coupling
Also called: fitting, hose nut, connector, the screw-on end

When to use a professional

If a water tap leaks at the pipe or at the body of the tap, call a plumber. LG tells you to call a plumber for a leak at the tap. Do not try to repair the water supply pipe or the tap body. If a water tap will not close fully, call a plumber before you loosen a coupling.

If the thread of a water tap or of a water inlet has damage, call a plumber. If the same coupling leaks after two attempts to tighten it, stop and call a plumber. If water comes from below the cabinet of the washing machine, the fill hoses are not the cause. Call an appliance technician for a leak from below the cabinet.

Common questions

How often should I replace washing machine hoses?

Every 5 years, according to the two manufacturers whose own documents this page read. Whirlpool's washer installation instructions W11600470A say, under CONNECT INLET HOSES, that to reduce risk of hose failure you should replace the hoses every 5 years, and repeat it in the maintenance section as replacing inlet hoses after 5 years of use. GE Appliances says it twice: its Inlet Fill Hoses article recommends replacing them every 5 years, and its stainless steel hose article says every 5 years or when you install a new washer, to help avoid leaking or flooding. What none of them publishes is a test or a study behind the figure, so treat it as the manufacturers' own service recommendation rather than a measured life. If your hoses are older than that, or you cannot tell how old they are, replace them.

Are braided stainless steel hoses actually better than the black rubber ones?

GE Appliances describes its stainless steel hoses as having a protective polymer coating for added durability, and calls them highly reliable and burst-resistant. That is the manufacturer's own description of its own accessory, and it comes with no rating and no test method attached, so this page reports it as a claim rather than as a specification. Note the important part: GE gives the same 5-year replacement recommendation for the stainless hose as for the rubber one. A braid is not a licence to leave a hose in place for fifteen years.

Should I fit flood-safe or auto-shutoff hoses?

Read your machine's manual before you buy them. LG states plainly in its inlet hose installation article that flood safe hoses may interrupt water supply and cause an IE error code on an LG washer. GE Appliances says separately that check valves are not recommended because they could restrict water flow and prevent the washer from operating as designed. Neither statement says the devices are unsafe — both say they can interfere with how the machine fills. If you want that kind of protection and your manufacturer warns against it in the hose, ask about a leak detector or an appliance shutoff valve instead.

What water pressure is my washing machine supposed to have?

It depends on the machine, and the sources disagree, so this page will not print one figure. Whirlpool's installation instructions list a requirement of water pressure of 20 to 100 psi (138 to 690 kPa) for the washers that document covers. LG's inlet hose installation article says water supply pressure must be between 14.5 PSI and 116 PSI. LG's own top-load leaking article says the recommended water supply pressure must be between 14.5 psi and 80 psi, while giving 116 psi as the point at which a pressure reducing valve is required. Two of those pages come from the same manufacturer and give two different upper limits, which is exactly why we name all three and send you to your own manual rather than splitting the difference.

How tight should the hose connections be? Is there a torque figure?

There is no published torque figure, and this page will not invent one. Whirlpool's instructions describe the method instead: screw the coupling on by hand until it is seated, then use pliers to tighten it an additional 2/3 turn. Whirlpool also warns in the same section not to overtighten and not to use tape or sealants on the valve, because damage can result. LG adds the other half of it — do not cross-thread the fitting, and tighten it securely. If the coupling still weeps after a second attempt, the problem is usually the rubber seal or a damaged thread, not insufficient force.

Can I reuse my old hoses on a new washing machine?

No, and both manufacturers say so in the same breath as the installation step. Whirlpool's instructions state that the washer must be connected to water faucets with new inlet hoses with flat washers, and that you should not use old hoses. LG says always use new hoses when installing your washer, and do not reuse old hoses. A hose that has been bent into a particular shape behind an old machine and then straightened and rebent behind a new one is a hose you have just worked twice.

Should I turn the taps off between washes?

It is the cheapest protection there is, and Whirlpool's own non-use and vacation guidance points at it: turn off the water supply to the washer to avoid flooding due to a water pressure surge. In practice most people will not do it daily, which is the honest reason the replacement interval matters so much. If you go away for more than a few days, close both taps before you go.

What length and size of hose do I buy?

Measure before you buy. GE Appliances publishes 4 feet as the standard length for its own fill hoses, 54 inches on stationary and portable washers, an 8-foot option for a longer run, and gives 3/4 inch as the hose connection size. Those are GE's figures for GE machines, so read the size off the coupling of the hose you are removing and measure the actual distance from the tap to the inlet. Buy a hose long enough to reach without stretching and without a tight bend, because a kink at the coupling is one of the things Whirlpool tells you to inspect for.

Sources

Every specification on this page is traced to one of these sources. Tier 1 is a manufacturer document, a published standard, or a government safety authority. See Standards for the full tiering rule.

  1. Tier 1Washer Installation Instructions (W11600470A)Whirlpool Corporation · accessed 2026-08-12 · re-verification due 2027-02-08 · automated link check returned network error: The read operation timed out — verified by hand
  2. Tier 1Whirlpool Washer is Not Filling — Checking the Fill Hoses if the Washer is not FillingWhirlpool Corporation · accessed 2026-08-12 · re-verification due 2027-02-08
  3. Tier 1Washer — Inlet Fill HosesGE Appliances (Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.) · accessed 2026-08-12 · re-verification due 2027-02-08
  4. Tier 1Washer — Stainless Steel Inlet Fill HosesGE Appliances (Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.) · accessed 2026-08-12 · re-verification due 2027-02-08
  5. Tier 1Inlet Hose Installation — Washing MachineLG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. · accessed 2026-08-12 · re-verification due 2027-02-08
  6. Tier 1LG Top Load Washer — LeakingLG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. · accessed 2026-08-12 · re-verification due 2027-02-08

Revision history

Current version 1 · updated 2026-08-12 · next review due 2027-08-12

  1. v1 · 2026-08-12First draft. Six tier-1 manufacturer documents fetched and read in this session: Whirlpool washer installation instructions W11600470A (PDF, 05/22), Whirlpool product support 'Washer is Not Filling', GE Appliances 'Washer - Inlet Fill Hoses' and 'Washer - Stainless Steel Inlet Fill Hoses', and LG 'Inlet Hose Installation - Washing Machine' and 'LG Top Load Washer - Leaking'. The 5-year replacement interval that the backlog entry recorded as untraceable IS traceable: Whirlpool states it twice in W11600470A and GE Appliances states it in two support articles. It is carried in step 4, in the tool notes and in the FAQ with its sources named, and the specification block still publishes as consult-the-manufacturer because data/sources.json and data/specs.json are protected registries that a drafting session may not write; promote the interval to a verified specification only after sources_admit.py has admitted these six sources and the registry entry has been written in the same edit. No torque figure is published because no source publishes one; Whirlpool's method (hand-tight, then an additional 2/3 turn with pliers) is given instead. Water supply pressure publishes as consult-the-manufacturer: Whirlpool requires 20 to 100 psi and LG's own two support pages give two different upper limits, 116 psi and 80 psi, which are named in the FAQ and not averaged. No recall matched a washing machine fill hose in the CPSC feed on 2026-08-12.

Corrections to this page are listed in the public corrections log. Reports that are credible and not yet verified are listed in the public errata register, and an open one renders above the step it concerns.

Comments and corrections

Found an error? A correction with a manufacturer source is applied and logged publicly. You can also write to corrections@fixchecklist.com.

Every step above carries its own report control, which tags the report with that step so a correction reaches the right place. For anything about the procedure as a whole — the order of the sections, a step that is missing, something that did not match your equipment — use this: report something about this whole procedure.

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