How often should I change plastic tubing?

[jrc64]

Here's a question. How often do you guys/gals change you plastic tubing that you use for transferring beer from primary to secondary or to bottling bucket? I mean, it's pretty cheap at Lowes or Home Depot, so I wouldn't mind fresh tubing each time, I just don't know if it's required.

Thanks

 

[McGarnigle]

Of course it's not required to use fresh tubing each time. Because it's cheap, I might buy new tubing every year or two.

 

[gcdowd]

I wouldn't change my plastics unless I get an infection. I mean, why buy new plastic all the time? If you clean and sanitize well, you should never have an issue.

 

[Hammy71]

I'm still using the racking tubing that came with my original kit 4 years ago. It's stained and brown. But immerse it in Star-San before every use. Never an issue. (knocks on wood.)

 

[adhomebrew10]

I would say it is not required to replace it unless you get an infection or feel it may be compromised. For instance, I just moved and it has been a year since I last brewed. Most likely nothing was wrong with my hoses, but they have bren through a lot and what is 4 bucks insurance to not spend 2 months and realize you have an infection?

 

[iambeer]

I am in the mind to replace my siphon tubes every 2 or 3 months. Just in case.

 

[user 108580]

I tend to make my siphon tubes long enough so that I can brush it with a long lab brush and clean the whole thing from both ends. Tubing lasts a lot longer this way. I've also found that certain types of tubing tend to fog up more than others but I still havent figured out why this is

 

[msabin]

I've just started to replace my tubing after 25 years. Not because of infection, just that I got a third blowoff hose and realized how nice it looked without the stains from 25 years of use.
I'm picking away at them all, but I'm also rethinking tubing sizes and interconnects as I go.

I'm thinking about quick-disconnects and other shiny stuff.

 

[badhabit]

As far as I can recall mine is about 35 years old. Still works fine.

 

[AnOldUR]

Like most things, if you take care it will last.