Hot water is a difficult environment for olefins because it prematurely extracts antioxidants added to protect the base polymer, and appears to shorten service life dramatically [1]. Such deteriorations occur slowly and are difficult to study because temperature acceleration used in air exposures is limited by water's low boiling point. Methods for monitoring water effects are complicated by opaque fillers, antioxidants, and synergists, all of which interfere with conventional chemical analysis. A procedure for characterizing olefin deterioration in hot water and for comparing different formulations would be useful, especially if analysis techniques could be applied to in-service parts to verify laboratory results.