It can be challenging when you have lots of kinks and knots in your garden hose. In cases like this, using your garden hose poses a lot of difficulties. In most cases, knots and kinks in your garden hose are a result of the way they were stored. Hence, you must focus on effective ways of storing your garden hose to prevent such from happening. Better still, these storage solutions will help you keep your garden hose very durable even after repeated usage.
When your hose is stored properly and you practice proper hose care, you will able to prolong its durability and lifespan.
Garden Hose Storage Solutions
1. Choosing an appropriate hose reel
One of the best ways of storing your garden hose is by getting a hose reel. The reels make it easy for you to roll up your hose when you are done using it. They also ensure that the occurrence of tangles or kinks is kept to the barest minimum. However, when you want to select an appropriate hose reel, there are certain factors you will need to consider. For example, you should consider the length of the hose, your budget for the hose reel, and the kind of functionality you want.
Hose reels can be decorative hose reels, hideaway/box reels, retractable hose reels, stationary/mounted hose reels, and cart hose reels. Decorative hose reels are less expensive than other types but are often of lower quality. Box reels, on the other hand, function the same way as decorative hose reels. However, they prevent your hose from being exposed to other elements, thus improving its lifespan and durability.
Retractable hose reels are very easy to store, and just like box reels, protect your hose against harmful elements. However, they are cheaper and they break easily. Stationary hose reels, on the other hand, are mounted on a wall and can not be moved. Although they are cheaper, one major disadvantage is that they can all the places in your house since they are stationary. So, if your garden hose is long and you have a small garden, that shouldn’t be much of a problem.
Lastly, cart hose reels are the best when it comes to functionality. They come with wheels and this makes them more expensive than the stationary reels. The wheels enable the reel to be moved easily especially when you have a large garden. Also, they can be moved away from the sun or other elements.
2. Use a leader hose for your hose reel
A leader hose is a short hose that serves as an extension of your hose. They are very useful when the spigot is hard to reach or for attaching your hose to a water supply. Universe leader hoses are better as you don’t have to worry about incompatible couplings.
3. Winding and unwinding
To wind your hose, slowly roll your hose around the reel such that excess water is drained properly. If your storage technique is different, you can roll the hose loosely around your arms and then place it on a garden hose holder. When unwinding, do this carefully to prevent kinks and knots from developing.
