Hose testing is intended for the testing of permanently sealed joints of the installed cladding system to ensure that the fabrication and installation have not in any way reduced the performance of the system, and to check the performance of interfaces with adjacent systems that did not form part of the laboratory test.

The high-pressure water spray should not dislodge gaskets or wet applied sealants unless they have been poorly installed or have not been allowed to cure. Water will be forced through small gaps in these types of seals and will find its way through unsealed joints between framing components. Hose testing is not suitable, in its unmodified form, for use on open joints even if these are baffled as the flow of water from the nozzle will overwhelm most open joints or joints that are intended to open. If the hose test is used on open or opening joints, then the normal procedure is to reduce the nozzle pressure. However, the spray bar test is more applicable for this type of joint.