Hose Maintenance: Disconnect & Store Your Garden Hose For Winter
After a summer of outdoor fun, as the colder weather approaches, its time to begin thinking about how you should prepare your garden space. Including carrying out hose maintenance and learning how to disconnect your garden hose in winter. The British winter can be harsh on outdoor furnishings and amenities, so you should ensure you take the proper steps to protect and maintain them well.
One of the most important items to consider when planning for winter is your hosepipe. As this is connected to your mains water supply, any issues with this piece of kit could lead to catastrophic events later on in the winter months. So, what do you need to do to avoid this? Follow the handy step by step guide below, to learn how to disconnect your garden hose in winter.
Things you will need
Pliers
An insulated tap cover (optional)
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Step 1
Turn Off The Water Supply
As water expands when it freezes, if there is any liquid left in your hosepipe, it may burst and damage the pipe itself. So, to begin with, once you have finished all of your garden maintenance for the year, you should shut off your external water supply.
To do this, find the internal shut off valve and turn it anti-clockwise until you feel resistance. If you are finding this difficult, use the pliers and some WD-40® Multi-Use Product to gently loosen the valve.
Step 2
Store Your Hose Properly For The Winter
Now that your water supply is cut off, you can go ahead and remove the hosepipe from the external tap. Before storing this away, it is good practice to give the entire pipe a quick check over for any nips, cuts or bulges. These signs can indicate wear, so if you spot any, it might be time to replace the hosepipe.
If there are no signs of damage apparent, you should wipe clean the pipe thoroughly to ensure no build up will cause damage whilst it is in storage. Use a clean soft cloth coated in some WD-40® Multi-Use Product to wipe the entire of the exterior surface of the hose. This will quickly penetrate and dislodge any dirt, and will also leave a protective water repellent layer. Once the hose is completely drained and dry, store it in a clean, dry place that is free of any sharp objects, such as a shed or garage.
Step 3
Maintain Your Outdoor Tap
Now that the hosepipe is prepared and set away, the next step is to maintain your outdoor tap. Check the fixing for any signs of damage or rust.
If rust is apparent, spray some WD-40® Multi-Use Product onto the surface, and use a metal wire brush to gently dislodge any remnants. Once you are happy with you’re tap, you may want to purchase an insulated tap cover. These useful protective sleeves ensure that no damage will come to your pipes as a result of freezing temperatures and frozen water.
JOB DONE!
And there you have it! A fully prepared hosepipe ready to store until spring. We hope you found this guide handy. If you’re looking for more ways that WD-40® can help you prepare for winter this year, why not learn how to carry out lawn mower maintenance or protect locks from freezing too all with the help of WD-40®!
The uses shown and described for WD-40 Multi-Use Product were provided to WD-40 Company by the users themselves. These uses haven’t been tested by WD-40 Company and do not constitute a recommendation of suggestion for use by WD-40 Company. Common sense should be exercised whenever using WD-40 Company products. Always follow the instructions and take heed of any warnings printed on the packaging.
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