Back in January of 2017, we published a blog about the benefits of silicone over rubber. Lately, we’ve had a number of inquiries asking us which holds up better for hoses, whether silicone or rubber does, for a number of applications. So we decided it’s time to revisit this important topic and once again go over the benefits of using silicone hoses in everything from biotech to manufacturing.

Silicone Holds Up Better In High Temperatures

Silicone is designed to withstand weather extremes, making it the better option for both high-temperature and low-temperature applications. With silicone hoses holding up well at higher operating temperature ranges, this option is more suitable for high-temperature engines of all sizes, as well as food packaging, plastics processing, and pharmaceuticals.

Silicone Offers Greater Flexibility

When you need hoses that can “give” without snapping, or you need them in a system that’s packed into a small, cramped space, silicone is the way to go. It provides great flexibility and durability, so it can fit nicely into tiny spaces.

Silicone Is More Resistant To Chemical Reactions

Some silicone hose applications involve transporting chemicals that could react with the hose they’re flowing through. Rubber can wear down quickly in these conditions, but silicone is made to be more resistant to chemical reactions, making it the practical, safe choice.

Silicone Lasts Longer

As we pointed out in our previous blog, if your car has silicone hoses in the engine or throughout the body, it’s very possible that these hoses will outlast your vehicle! Silicone is known for its longer lifespan, which means you won’t have to replace your liquid transport system in a few years because of hose wear and tear.

Silicone Offers Improved Sound Dampening

In HVAC, automotive, manufacturing, or other industrial-type applications, machines can be loud, and materials flowing through hoses at high speeds and high pressures can create noisy conditions as well. Since silicone has excellent sound-dampening qualities, you can use it to reduce the noise factor in your place of business.

Additional Considerations

We’ve covered several reasons why silicone is the better solution over rubber in many hose applications. We’d like to say a few words about what rubber hoses do offer. First, they tend to be cheaper to purchase. In addition, in applications that combine rubber with metal, this soft material can provide a good fit. Rubber hoses tend to be low in weight, and they can absorb shocks well.

There are many applications where rubber hoses might be good enough; however, for any systems operating under very high or very low temperatures, that require hoses to be flexible enough to bend without breaking, that need hoses made from a chemical-resistant material, or that need to last a long time without constant maintenance, silicone is the superior product.

Contact Us For Custom Silicone Hose Solutions

Flex Technologies delivers standard and custom silicone hose solutions throughout the nation and in Canada as well. If you’re looking for high-temp silicone tubing, or flexible, chemical-resistant hoses that will hold up in demanding environments, get in touch with us today!