Being an avid gardener, you know that the garden hose is one of the most used pieces of equipment in your arsenal.
To keep your plants healthy and blooming, you want to have a fully functioning and robust garden hose around to meet their water requirements.
However, your garden hose could suddenly burst, gushing out water all over.
This could send chills down your spine, leaving you wondering what the heck did happen.
You were likely handling the hose properly, so what could be the problem?
What Causes Frequent Bursts In Garden Hoses?
For starters, a common cause for bursts in garden hoses is wear and tear. Like any other equipment in your garden, hoses have a shelf life that depends on how well you keep it.
Clogs on your hose could also be another reason for a sudden burst.
Let’s get down to all the possible reasons.
1. External Damage
Besides the natural wear and tear, your garden hose could suffer other external damages like cracks or cuts from the impact of nearby objects or farm equipment.
A typical example is the lawnmower blade that could inflict a cut on your garden hose.
Cracks could occur as a result of very low temperatures. The drying of your garden hose also increases its chances of getting damaged and ultimately bursting.
2. High Water Pressure
Another common cause for garden hose bursts is high water pressure. Some spigots pump water at a pressure beyond what your garden hose can handle.
A burst is bound to happen if your hose cannot tolerate the water pressure.
3. Kinks On Your Garden Hose
You might experience the dreaded kink if you’re not keen enough on your garden hose. It occurs when your garden hose doubles back on itself.
What follows is the creation of a fold that stops water from going through it. This leads to a pressure build-up that results in the rupturing of the hose.
4. Wrong Sized Clamps
When using your garden hose, you want to be keen on the size of your clamps or fittings. If the dimensions do not match with that of your garden hose, a burst is inevitable.
The wrong practice gardeners use regularly is tying an old clamp to a new hose. This is a recipe for disaster.
5. Previous Poor Repairs
If your hose bursts in the same place twice, it indicates the previous repair was done poorly.
To avoid such an occurrence in the future, ensure you get a qualified plumber or workman to do the job correctly.
6. Improper Storage
Proper storage of the garden hose is essential to maintain its durability and enable it to serve you for a long time.
Not reeling your hose after use is the other problem that leads to bursts, especially if you have pets around. They may leave holes on your hose, making it unfit for use.
7. Poor Workmanship
When purchasing a garden hose, ensure to get one of the highest quality workmanship. A poorly done garden hose will easily burst.
You want to read reviews from previous buyers before spending your hard-earned money.
8. Incorrect Hose Length
A garden hose that is too short has less room for expansion or contraction depending on the temperature, or the pressure applied.
The result is excessive stress on the hose reinforcement leading to it bursting.
9. Hose Twisting During Installation
Twisting a garden hose as opposed to proper bending is likely to result in reduced shelf life. It has been proven that a 7% twist during installation results in 90% damage.
10. Temperature Exposure
High or low-temperature exposure is another common problem with garden hoses that could result in their bursting.
It leads to discoloration, hardness, and cracking of your pipe.
Burst Pressure
Understanding your garden hose burst pressure rating is crucial before we delve deeper into maintenance practices. The Burst Pressure rating is defined as the maximum pressure your hose can handle at a given point.
The burst pressure of a hose is set depending on factors such as material and size. Not all hose pipes are fit to operate at a high level of pressure.
Ideally, a standard garden hose shouldn’t have a burst pressure rating of less than 250 psi. This rating is sufficient to ensure a workable spray for your garden’s routine jobs.
On the other hand, if looking for a high-pressure hose, you are better off selecting one with a burst pressure rating of 350 psi or more.
Other factors to consider when choosing a garden hose are the diameter and tubing. Also, look for one that isn’t too soft or too stiff.
Some brands are designed to prevent kinking. Furthermore, some brands claim their hoses are burst-proof.
Though not entirely burst-proof, this type of hose is difficult to break because of the material it is made of.
Best Maintenance Tips For A Garden Hose To Prevent Bursting
Proper garden hose care saves you from high replacement or repair costs. This section talks about preventing your hose from bursting again, saving you many trips to your workman or plumber. Here is what to do.
1. Always inspect your hose for rips and tears before use
Trouble is still an eventuality in paradise. A new hose could be exposed to external damages. You must inspect it for any rips or cracks resulting from friction against other lawn equipment, pets, or wild animals.
2. Check and regulate the water pressure before attaching your garden hose
Garden hoses will burst if they funnel water at a pressure greater than their burst pressure rating.
Before attaching your hose to the water source, ensure to adjust the rate at which water escapes from your wall fixture.
3. Safe storage against environmental extremes
Another essential maintenance practice for your garden hose is to ensure you store it safely from sunlight and extreme temperatures.
Most garden hoses are stored in boxes for this reason. This keeps them safe from elements that speed up drying and cracking.
4. Avoid twisting your hose during installation
As explained earlier, twisting leads to 90% hose damage; thus, the best maintenance practice would be to avoid twisting hoses when installing them.
5. Ensure the fittings and clamps are of the correct size
Always use the right clamp size that fits well with the diameter of your garden hose. Similarly, ensure that other fittings such as nozzle sprayer and joiner are of the matching size.
6. Avoid stepping on your hose and always lay it flat on the ground
Chances of your garden hose bursting are high when there is a heavy twist or a kink because of increased water pressure. However, you can avoid this by ensuring that there are no folds along its path.
Keep it loose on the ground at all times.
Conclusion
If you are spending money on new hoses or repairs due to frequent bursts, you now know the reasons why such incidents happen.
By following the care and maintenance tips mentioned above, you can ensure your garden hose serves you for a long, long time.
