Q.Addition To Proper-hose-care-and-maintenance
Release water pressure after every use, reduce the risk of boil-pressure, and reduce the risk of valve freezings. Keeping plastic at high pressure or to the point of elastic yield is NOT good. Water pressure builds with heat or with sunlight (darker hoses more susceptible). The constant thermodynamic stress upon the hose, outside being warm and inside being cold, or the inside heating to expansion or boil, will cause extra stress on the hose and or all components involved. It is best to have a valve BEFORE the hose, placed in a SHADY location (this can be the hose bib on your house, or an inline hose valve which is way easier to replace is fairly cheap and does not wear out your hose bib on the house resulting in costly [time or dollars] plumber call or basement flood [PS Hydrant usage is recommended in areas which freeze, but you must disconnect the hose from the house for this to be most effective]). In summer it is best to keep the valve on your house ON, run a SHORT line to an INLINE VALVE or splitter (about CA$7 on ebay from China or in any garden center for more CA$15+, same product), with ALL these three components in THE SHADE. Then have your hose connected to the output of said valve or splitter, and nozzle at the end of the hose. To use, turn on the inline valve and spray the sprayer. To FINISH using, close the INLINE valve (not your house one) AND THEN SPRAY THE SPRAYER UNTIL NO PRESSURE REMAINS. In the WINTER, reduce the risk of freezing and thereby the risk of cracking the couplings. Store all hose on a long slope to an opening in it, so all water drains down, or drain the hoses and store, or keep hoses doors by using a hose reel and disconnecting and moving indoors. ALL wind-touching fittings or anything above frost lines are susceptible. A Hydrant will ONLY protect you if there is a gentle slope from the inside of the house where the valve is to the outside of the house AND you have DISCONNECTED anything attached to it, or if whatever is attached CAN DRAIN fully and completely BEFORE FREEZING. Wind-chill can shorten this time, biting frost, etc. Best to have a valve INSIDE your house in case your hydrant or external valve freezes and explodes. PS, you will only notice the leak once thaw starts in spring or when the sun hits a leaky area for extended time. Lastly, Leaky hoses (the ones which SHOULD NOT). You snagged something or a rodent wanted a drink. Just cut the hose, bring it into a hardware store, and either find a double-barbed plastic coupling in the plumbing section and two hose clamps (total usually around CA$4 total), or MAKE TWO HOSES FROM IT, by getting two opposite hose ends from the GARDEN section along with hose clamps to have two smaller hoses, ensure you make your hoses so they can be “EXTENSIONS” not “Couplers” by making sure each end can plug into the other end of the same hose. Most garden hoses are either 1/2″ (inch) 5/8″ or rarely 3/4″. Have the hose with you so you can try it in the parking lot to verify and save you a trip to return it or bring the hose in and ask someone inside. Alvin T – Georgetown Ontario -35c is frequent in winter, +35c frequent in summer, both before wind-chill or humidity. Prices approximate, as of 20210819 ish.
Whoops, its in response or for addition to this article, I copied the wrong tab article title by mistake as the title of this inquiry. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/tools/garden-hose-maintenance.htm
Wow it really botched my formatting...
