Garden hose - Wikiwand

A garden hose, hosepipe, or simply hose is a flexible tube used to convey water. There are a number of common attachments available for the end of the hose, such as sprayers and sprinklers (which are used to concentrate water at one point or to spread it over a large area). Hoses are usually attached to a hose spigot or tap.

The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (June 2015)

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Terminology

The alternative term "hosepipe" is a chiefly British, South African, and southern US usage; "hose" or "garden hose" is the predominant term in other English-speaking areas. The term "hose" is also used for other types of flexible, water-carrying tubes such as fire hose used by fire departments.

Description

Garden hoses are typically made of extruded synthetic rubber or soft plastic, often reinforced with an internal web of fibers. As a result of these materials, garden hoses are flexible and their smooth exterior facilitates pulling them past trees, posts and other obstacles. Garden hoses are also generally tough enough to survive occasional scraping on rocks and being stepped on, without damage or leaking.

Each male end of a typical garden hose can mate with the female connector on another, which allows multiple garden hoses to be linked end-to-end to increase their overall length. Small rubber or plastic washers (often confusingly called "hose washers") are used in female ends to prevent leakage, because the threads are not tapered and are not used to create a seal.

Most garden hoses are not rated for use with hot water; even leaving certain hoses in the sun while pressurized can cause them to burst.

Hoses used to carry potable water are typically made of NSF International-listed polymers tested and shown not to leach harmful materials into the drinking water, such as the plasticizers (phthalates) used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC, or vinyl) hoses.

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Use

As implied by the name, garden hoses are commonly used to transport water for gardening, lawn care, and other landscaping purposes. They are also used for outdoor cleaning of items such as vehicles, equipment, building exteriors, and animals. NSF-approved hoses may be used for connecting drinkable water to recreational vehicles and trailers.

Whenever a flexible hose is connected to a drinkable water supply, the spigot or tap should be fitted with an approved backflow prevention device, to prevent contaminated water from being siphoned back, in the event of a pressure drop. Many water suppliers require this, and plumbing code may legally require permanently installed backflow preventers.

Porous or perforated soaker hoses

Special hoses designed to leak throughout their length are sometimes used to gently distribute water on a lawn or garden. These hoses have either many small holes drilled or punched in them, or are made of a porous material, such as sintered rubber particles. These "soaker hoses"^[1] are a simple, low-cost, substitute for a drip irrigation system.

Expandable hoses

These differ from traditional hoses in that the inner membrane expands when filled with water, much like a balloon. An outer cover protects the delicate expandable membrane from punctures. Such hoses "grow" when pressurized, and shrink back down when the pressure is released, allowing for easier storage.

Standards and connectors

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Perspective

Garden hoses connect using a male/female thread connection. The technical term for this arrangement is a "hose union". Spigots or sillcocks have male hose connectors only, and the mating end of a hose has a captive nut which fits the threads there.

The thread standard for garden hose connectors in the United States, its territories, and Canada is known colloquially as "garden hose thread" (GHT), but its official designation is NH ("National Hose"):

3⁄4-11.5NH designates full form threads as produced by cutting material such as the brass spigot outlet or hose male or female end fitting found on more expensive hoses.
3⁄4-11.5NHR designates thin-walled couplers produced by rolling thin material, usually brass, typically found on less expensive hoses.
3⁄4-14NPSH designates female hose ends that mate a hose to a tapered pipe thread without a spigot.

The US standard was defined by NFPA 1963, "Standard for Fire Hose Connections",^[2] then later by ANSI-ASME B1.20.7,^[3] which specifies 1+1⁄16 inches (27 mm) diameter straight (non-tapered) thread with a pitch of 11.5 threads per inch (TPI). The female thread is abbreviated FHT (for "female hose thread"), and the male part is abbreviated MHT (for "male hose thread"). This fitting is used with 1⁄2-inch, 5⁄8-inch, and 3⁄4-inch hoses.^[4]^[5]

In other countries, a British Standard Pipe (BSP) thread is used, which is 3⁄4 inch (19 mm) and 14 TPI (male part outside diameter is 26.441 mm or 1.04 in). The GHT and BSP standards are not compatible, and attempting to connect a GHT hose to a BSP fitting, or vice versa, will damage the threads.

The connector threads are not tapered, and do not seal against leaks. Instead, a pliable rubber or plastic gasket (often ambiguously called a "garden hose washer") seals the connection against leakage. A variant of this gasket also incorporates a fine-meshed metal or plastic screen to filter out small particles of dirt that may be present in the flowing stream of water. The purpose of this filter is to intercept debris which could otherwise clog the small openings used to disperse a spray of water from various garden sprayers and sprinklers.

Adaptors made of metal or plastic are available to interconnect GHT, BSP, NPT, hose barb, and quick-connect fittings.

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Quick connectors

In the 1980s, the use of quick-connector systems became increasingly popular. These are fittings that attach to the hose and or screw into common hose connectors and equipment, allowing hoses and accessories to be easily connected together using a snap-fit type system. The first plastic connector was invented in the UK by Hozelock in 1959,^[6] and the style has now become a de facto standard throughout Europe and the wider world, compatible with and imitated by many other manufacturers. A differently designed hermaphroditic quick-connect hose fitting made by GEKA has the advantage of interconnecting without distinction between "male" and "female" connectors,

Some connectors also incorporate an "autostop" feature. This is an internal valve which is shut off by water pressure, and it is opened only by connecting a fitting or appliance; thus, disconnecting a hose fitted with this adaptor will automatically stop the flow of water. This eases connecting and changing appliances without the need to shut off the water first.

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Other Type of Hoses

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Perspective

Other than this there are so many other industrial hoses. They are very useful to carry fluids and gaseous other than water, especially in harsh environments. Some of them are:

Industrial Flexible Hoses

Flexible industrial hoses are used across multiple sectors, including oil and gas, food processing, construction and general manufacturing, to convey fluids, gases, particulate solids and abrasive media in applications where rigid piping is impractical. Typical materials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), aluminum, fiberglass and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). Many industrial hoses incorporate internal or external reinforcement such as spring steel wire or textile layers to increase pressure resistance while preserving flexibility. Selection criteria commonly consider working and burst pressure, temperature range, chemical compatibility, abrasion resistance and conformity with applicable industry standards (for example ISO and SAE hose specifications). In regions with hot, arid climates, additional attention is often paid to UV, ozone and thermal resistance when selecting hose materials. Technical datasheets and manufacturer documentation are frequently used by engineers to confirm application suitability and performance.^[7]

Pharmaceutical & Food Hose

Food-grade and pharmaceutical flexible hoses are used in industries where hygiene, chemical compatibility and contamination control are critical. These hoses are commonly made from silicone, polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE), as well as composite materials formulated for direct contact with consumable products. Many variants are designed to comply with international food-contact and pharmaceutical handling standards, such as those defined by the FDA.

To minimize microbial accumulation and residue retention, food-grade hoses typically feature smooth, non-porous internal surfaces, allowing them to be integrated into Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) and steam sterilization systems without deteriorating. Depending on the operating environment, these hoses may also incorporate wire reinforcement, textile braiding or multi-layer construction to provide flexibility under vacuum or pressure.

In high-temperature or arid climates, such as the GCC region, additional attention is given to the hose’s UV, ozone and abrasion resistance, as well as its usable temperature range, which can vary from –10°C up to +200°C depending on material composition. Food-grade and pharmaceutical hoses are also produced in multiple diameter, wall thickness and connection configurations, including camlock, tri-clamp, threaded and flanged fittings, to suit processing equipment and sanitary pipeline systems.^[8]

Abrasion Resistant Suction Hose

Abrasion-resistant suction hoses are used in sectors such as plastics processing, agriculture, construction, mining, manufacturing and waste handling, where they are required to transport bulk materials and solid particles under vacuum or pressure. These hoses are typically designed to withstand mechanical wear, impact from particulate flow, and repeated flexing, making them suitable for conveying materials such as dust, wood chips, plastic granules, cement, sand, slurry and other abrasive solids.

Suction hoses with abrasion resistance are commonly manufactured from polyurethane (PU) or specialized abrasion-grade PVC formulations. These materials provide cut and scuff resistance, and depending on the application, may also include resistance to mineral oils, acids, alkalis, solvents, microbial exposure or hydrolysis. For enhanced structural stability, the hose wall may include embedded steel wire helixes or textile reinforcement, which help maintain shape under vacuum and prevent collapse.

Surface characteristics and internal smoothness play an important role in maintaining flow efficiency. Non-porous or low-friction internal surfaces help reduce material buildup and blockages, which is important in pneumatic conveying, centralized feeding systems, and industrial de-dusting systems. In sanitary or high-purity environments, these hoses may also be suitable for CIP (Cleaning-in-Place) or steam sterilization, depending on their material and thermal rating.

^[9]

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Health risks from aerosols

In 2014, it was reported that use of common garden hoses in combination with spray nozzles may generate aerosols containing droplets smaller than 10 μm, which can be inhaled by nearby people. Water stagnating in a hose between uses, especially when warmed by the sun, can host the growth and interaction of Legionella and free-living amoebae (FLA) as biofilms on the inner surface of the hose. Clinical cases of Legionnaires' disease or Pontiac fever have been found to be associated with inhalation of garden hose aerosols containing Legionella bacteria. The report provided measured microbial densities resulting from controlled hose conditions in order to quantify the human health risks. The densities of Legionella spp. identified in two types of hoses were found to be similar to those reported during legionellosis outbreaks from other causes. It was proposed that the risk could be mitigated by draining hoses after use.^[10]