How Well Do You Know Your Garden Hose?

How Well Do You Know Your Garden Hose?

Your garden hose is more than an outdoor fixture, it is an important tool. Having the right garden hose can empower you to perform a variety of tasks. Whether you need to wash your car, spray off your deck, or water plants, your water hose can either make your life easy or a nightmare. How do you know which garden hose is right for you?

Budget

The first factor you should consider is how much money you have to spend on a garden hose. Depending on how much money you have you may just have to settle for what you can afford. Shopping online I found garden hose priced as low as $7.99. These hoses may not last as long as more expensive ones and may kink often but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.

Construction

Hoses are most commonly made out of vinyl or rubber but can be made out of many other materials like plastic. Plastic, Vinyl, and vinyl-reinforced hoses are usually the least expensive on the market. Vinyl and plastic hoses are light and easy to maneuver around the yard. Rubber hoses are heavier but they are more durable and more capable of withstanding temperature changes. Reinforced rubber hose is least likely to kink or burst.

Just like your tires your garden hose are plied. A ply is a layer and more plies (layers) means more strength. Usually a mesh inner layer is found between plies. Most household garden hose comes in one to six plies.

How big is your spigot?

While most garden hoses are 5/8” in diameter they also come in 3/8”, ½”, and ¾”. You should be able to eyeball your spigot to determine what size hose you need. If you want to increase the amount of water you can deliver through your hose you can buy a bigger diameter but then you will need a plumber.

How much hose do you even need?

Garden hose is sold in lots of different sizes typically ranging from 25 feet to 150 feet. Ideally you want to be able to stretch your water hose at least to the next spigot around your house. If you aren’t sure how much hose you need, just break out a tape measure. If you have a large area you want to be able to cover and there is no one size that will work you can also buy adapters to connect hoses together. Just be sure to install plumbers tape to reduce leakage. If you are using a lot of hose you may also want to look into purchasing a reel of some sort to keep it from getting all tangled up. Always install plumbers tape to the threads wherever you connect a garden hose.

Types of hose

In addition to the run of the mill garden hose you will find at your local retailer you may also find sprinkler and soaker hoses. Sprinkler hoses are lined with holes on one side and work best if you direct the spray upwards. Soaker hoses can be buried and like a sprinkler hose is also porous. These types of hoses are designed to leak water directly where you want it. People usually position these types of hoses to water their garden and root systems of plants. Expandable hose is becoming ever more popular and expands and contracts as water is supplied. Expandable hoses are a great option if storage is an issue.