Hoses are subject to a limited service life and the user must be alert to warnings of a pending hose failure, especially when the conditions under which the hose is used require a high working pressure and/or the hose is used to convey dangerous substances.

Safety warning: If the manufacturer's recommendations regarding upkeep, maintenance and storage of the hose in question are not followed, this may lead to the hose's failure to function correctly, which in turn may lead to damage of property or serious bodily injury.

The following contains general instructions as to correct hose storage. Improper storage can significantly shorten hose service life.

Proper handling of hoses.
Any kind of misuse in handling hoses for example crushing, breaking, pulling or load with not suitable agents must be avoided.

Avoid dragging the hose over sharp or abrasive surfaces, unless the hose was manufactured especially for this kind of application. 

Hoses may only be subjected to their maximum working pressure as indicated. Any change in working pressure should be made gradually so that the hoses are not subject to surges in pressure.

Hoses must not be kinked or driven over, unless otherwise indicated on the data sheets.

When handling large hoses, reels and drums should be used wherever possible. For heavy suction and pressure hoses, used for example in loading and discharging oil, appropriate slings should be used for support.

General inspection
Inspections and hydrostatic tests are to be carried out at regular intervals in order to monitor hose suitability for continued use. A visual inspection of the hose for loose covers, kinks, dents or soft spots must be carried out for the purposes of determining whether reinforcements have either broken or shifted out of position. Couplings or other fittings must be carefully inspected for signs that they are becoming detached from the hose and must be replaced immediately if necessary.

Storage
Storing rubber hoses can be influenced by temperature, air humidity, ozone, daylight, oil solvents, corrosive liquids and vapor, insects, rodents and radioactive materials.

Proper storage of the hoses depends primarily of their size (diameter and length), the quantity to be stored and the packaging materials used. Hoses must not be stacked or piled up in such a way so that the stack weight causes the hoses on the bottom to become damaged. As rubber hoses differ widely in dimension, weight and length, no general recommendations can be given in this sense. A thin-walled hose can withstand less strain than a thick-walled hose or a hose reinforced with a steel wire double helix. Hoses that are delivered coiled must be stored horizontally.

Whenever possible, you should store your hoses in their original package, especially if these containers are wooden crates or cardboard boxes. This kind of packaging also protects the hose from sunlight.

The following contains general instructions for properly storing hoses in accordance with the standards laid down in DIN 7716:1982 "Rubber products; requirements for storage, cleaning and maintenance", Paragraph 3. Improper storage can significantly shorten the service life of the hose.

Storage room: The storage room should be cool, dry, free from dust and moderately well ventilated. Storage out in the open that does not protect against the weather is not suitable.

Temperature: Rubber products should not be stored below -10° C or above +15° C, whereby this limit can be exceeded up to +25° C. Higher temperatures are only allowable for very short periods of time.

Heating: In heated storage rooms rubber products must be protected from heat sources. The distance between the heat source and the stored materials must be at least one meter.

Humidity: Storage in humid storage rooms should be avoided. It is important to make sure that condensation does not form. Best is a relative air humidity not exceeding 65° C.

Lighting: Rubber products should be protected from the light, especially from direct sunlight and strong artificial light with a high quantity of UV rays. The windows of the storage rooms are, for this reason, to be covered with a red or orange (but never blue) protective coat of paint. Using normal light bulbs for lighting is preferable.

Ozone: As ozone is particularly harmful, storage rooms must not contain any ozone generating equipment, such as electric motors or other kinds of equipment which could generate a spark or other kind of electrical charge. Combustible gasses and vapours which could generate ozone by way of photochemical processes should be removed.

Finally, all rubber products should be stored according to the "first in, first out" principle, as an unusually long storage period can deteriorate the physical properties of rubber products even under the best of conditions.