How Do You Properly Maintain A Hot Tar Hose?

Whether you work in asphalt or roofing, tar can be one of the necessary materials for your job. Maneuvering hot tar involves the use of specialized hoses called hot tar hoses. While these hoses are designed to be resilient, they can break down faster than they should without the proper maintenance. Here is a look at a few things you can do to properly maintain your hot tar hoses.

1. Be careful to use tar at the right temperatures for the hose you have. 

Every hot tar hose is going to come with a maximum working temperature from the manufacturer. Make sure you take note of this temperature and follow the guidelines to the letter. If you use hot tar that is far too hot, you run the risk of causing the hose to break down from the inside out. This can immediately cause cracks, holes, and fissures to develop, which can render your hose useless after just a few uses.

2. Properly clean the hoses when a project is complete. 

Once you have completed a project using your tar hoses, make sure you clean them after each use. You may not be able to get the interior completely cleaned, but what you can do is make sure the threaded ends are properly wiped off so the hot tar does not dry in place and cause problems the next time you do a job. 

3. Store your hoses when they are not in use. 

When a job is complete and you have cleaned your hoses appropriately, make sure you are storing your hoses in the right way. In general, the hoses should be stored in a dry place out of the sunlight. If you leave hoses rolled up on the bed of a truck, for example, the UV exposure on a daily basis can break down the rubber material so that it starts to degrade. 

4. Use quality attachments for your hot tar hoses. 

If you are not using quality attachments for your tar hoses, it can actually be hard on the hoses. For example, if you have a low-quality nozzle attached to the end of a hose and it is difficult to remove when you are done, it can cause problems with the existing threading on the end of your hose. It is not uncommon for hoses to have to be thrown away simply because they have damaged threads and cannot be used with attachments.

For more questions regarding proper hot tar hose maintenance, reach out to an expert like Copperstate Hose.