Guide to Garden Hose Reel Storage

It’s something you never lose sleep over, but the fact remains that to ensure your garden hose enjoys a long and productive life, you need to to store it properly.

If you are buying a cheap hose you may not worry about proper storage and just plan to buy a new hose ever few years. If you are buying a good quality hose you will want to take a bit more care of it to ensure it lasts a long time.

Excessive kinking, sun damage and freezing temperatures will damage an ordinary garden hose if not properly cared for.

Kinking

Kinking is the most common cause of ruptures in the hose. The easiest way to avoid kinks is to use a garden hose reel storage and to wind your hose back as soon as you are finished with it. Reels for garden hoses vary in size, from small, hand carried reels, for shorter, thinner diameter hoses, to larger, wheeled reel carts for long, wide diameter hoses.

If you do not wish to use a reel, a simple solution is to wind your hose between two blunt-tipped hooks on your shed or house wall.

Sun Damage

Sunlight is also a constant problem to hoses. Constant heating and cooling of your garden hose will eventually cause weaknesses and cracks in it, so care is needed to avoid this.

Never store your hose reel outside in direct sunlight. Store it away in a shed, or in your house, away from sources of heat. If your garden hose reel is to be stored in a shed, be sure to place it away from wall-hung, sharp tools, such as forks or shears, as these can easily cause damage if they fall onto the hose.

Cold Damage

Cold can also damage your hose during winter, as water left in the hose can turn to ice and expand, stretching, and possibly bursting it. Ice in your hose can also damage the interior wall, weakening it, and leading to faster wear under normal use. To counteract damage from cold temperatures, you should always drain hoses completely after each use, to prevent the build up of ice. Indoors storage will also help.

A damaged hose can sometimes be repaired, using patches, and sealant. These are usually available in kits from most hardware stores.

Of course, one of the best ways to ensure your garden hose lasts as long as possible, other than it’s storage, is to choose a good quality, durable hose. Look for one with multiple layers, especially looking for:-