In modern times, consumers have access to a wide range of hose types, each with unique advantages and applications. Generally speaking, flexible hoses can be divided into several types of material composition. Different materials have different properties, so the materials that make up a flexible hose are important when choosing one for your application. The material composition of a flexible hose affects price, operating temperature range, the pressure it can withstand, compressibility and abrasion resistance. Choosing the right hose starts with choosing the right type of hose material.
There are several metal hose types available, these are some of the few “semi-rigid” options available. Metal hoses are available in both aluminium and stainless steel, ideal for high temperature and corrosive applications. Excellent structural integrity is key to achieving this, which is why heavy duty hoses are a sensible and practical choice for a wide range of industries around the world.
For ambient air flow, hoses in the PVC or fabric hose categories will be the best place to look. These are often lightweight and highly flexible ducts, ideal for air flow. A number of heavy duty fabric hoses are also available, allowing for use in applications where durable materials are essential. Fabric hoses are also available in different coatings such as neoprene, acrylic and PVC. Different types of protective coatings can be applied to the hose type with varying degrees of abrasion resistance, flame retardancy and static dissipative qualities. These may be important properties for a section of flexible hose in various situations where there is severe wear, fire risk and/or static build-up.
The temperature resistance of different hose types should also be considered when making flexible ducting purchasing decisions. For the flow of high temperature air or fumes, in addition to the aluminium and stainless steel hose categories, the fibreglass and silicone hose categories would be the best choice. There will be some overlap between these categories as many fibreglass hoses are coated with silicone, providing the high temperature characteristics that these hoses exhibit. Some applications where the heat resistant hose types function well include furnace vents, car exhaust vents and chimney ducts. What’s more, silicone hoses often handle a variety of chemicals well too, making them ideal for fume exhaust applications. It is important to note that even with all flexible hoses, the bend radius and compressibility of these flexible pipes will vary depending on the material used. Having said that, stainless steel and silicone tend to be at the lower end of the flexibility range.
A variety of plastic hoses are also available, with PVC options and plastics, including not only PVC options but also polyurethane and polyethylene options. These hose types are designed to be cost effective, but just as reliable and long lasting as other more expensive lightweight hoses. Depending on the wall thickness of the hose, the flexible ducts in the plastic category will be used for applications such as air flow or material handling. These tend to be some of the most cost effective and flexible of all our flexible ducts.
When using flexible duct types in residential, commercial and industrial applications, keep in mind that a variety of different flexible duct accessories exist that can be used to enhance the overall use of the duct. For example, many business owners equip their ventilation flexible hoses with reduced and/or enlarged cuff ends to allow these lengths of flexible duct to be fixed to other ducts of different sizes.
Some of the other “application” based hose types available are the metric and insulated hose categories. Insulated hose has a glass fibre insulation that helps to maintain the temperature of the air passing through it. Metric hoses are available exclusively in metric sizes such as 60 mm, 80 mm and other common metric sizes. When it comes to the right type of hose for your situation, it only makes sense to use it correctly the first time. So get in touch with us and we will be happy to help you.
