Went on a service call the other day for a refrigerator. And, in one of those, “While you’re here…” things, I ended up checking out the washer and dryer. Something I always, always check when working on a washer are the fill hoses. The cheap, stamped-brass fittings on the black rubber fill hoses were badly rusted and, in that weakened condition, were more prone to snap or split, causing a huge flood in this million-dollar lake house.

So I pulled those hoses off… actually, the fittings were so badly rusted that they no longer rotated so I had to cut ’em off with the big serrated-edge knife in my Leatherman Wave that I keep on my belt when I’m running service calls. Then I installed a beautiful, brand-new pair of stainless-steel braided fill hoses with stainless steel fittings. The only additional charge was for the retail price of the new hoses. Cheapest flood insurance you can buy!

Recommended Reading: Three Easy Steps to Total Washing Machine Flood Prevention