How To Roll Up A Hose On A Reel – A Step By Step Guide

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Last Updated on December 28, 2022 by Griselda M.

Do you know how to roll up a hose on a reel after you have finished with your watering needs for your yard or garden? Let’s look at how to complete this task quickly.

A hose reel is the one gardening tool necessary for gardeners to have to help them tidy up those long and winding hoses.

Besides that, it also plays a significant role in maintaining the quality of your irrigation hoses.  Winding your hose in the hose reel prevents the tubing from getting oddly twisted. The kinks are usually the primary culprit causing damage to your hose.

As simple as you may think the reels are, you may still have unanswered questions about the use of this device. For example, what is the correct way to roll the hose in the reel?  A quick how-to will ensure that you get your hose winded the right way.

In this article, we will talk about all there is to know about how to roll a hose and the techniques of using hose reels so you can say goodbye to kinks and welcome the smooth, perfect rolled hoses.

How To Roll Up A Hose On A Manual Reel

The hose reels come in different variants.  However, the most basic and inexpensive type is the manual hose reel.  Manual hose reels are also known as hand crank reels because they come with a manually turned handle when in operation.

How To Roll Up A Hose On A Manual Reel

Before you roll up your hose on the reel, preparing it in these 3 steps is essential.

Determine The Orientation Of Your Manual Hose Reel

Hose reels are available either for right-handed or left-handed users.  Function-wise, there is no difference between both models except for convenience. Of course, it is favorable to use this manual hose reel when positioned onto the side of its dominant hand. 

Of course, it would be more favorable for any user to have the crank positioned onto the side of its dominant hand.  This is because a manual hose reel requires physical effort to operate, and the dominant side is stronger than the other making it more effective.  Therefore, it is comfortable ad easy to choose the orientation of your choice – left or right! It is just more of a convenience matter.

Understand The Role Of Your Hands

Depending on the side of the crank, the closest hand will operate the handle as the other free hand guides the hose to its track.  For example, if the reel’s crank is on the right, the user’s right hand then facilitates the turning of the handle, and the left hand will ensure the hose does not kink or twist when it’s being rolled.

Learn How To Turn The Reel

You start with the tip of the hose on the rightmost or leftmost side of the drum to create your base layer.  Guide the hose as it rolls on the drum the other hands turn the crank at whatever speed is comfortable to you.

Continue working on it until the rolled hose fills the entire horizontal surface of the drum.  The first layer serves as the base of your roll, and it is vital to form an evenly-spaced, tightly coiled hose.

With the base layer in place, continue to wind the hose to fill in the next layer, but this time your coiling direction should be on the opposite side. Voila, there you have it! Continue with the same process until the entire length of the hose is rolled into the reel.

How To Roll Up A Garden Hose In An Automatic Reel

Unlike using a manual hose reel, an automatic one is easy and outstanding.  Both the spring and motor-driven reels are so much more convenient and easier to use.  However, they still need some basic principle steps to operate them but with less effort.  Here are 3 steps to follow to achieve a neat roll.

Follow The Simple Preparation Steps

Even though this reel is automatic, there are basic things you will need to do, like untwisting the hose to remove twists and kinks.  This way, you can ensure that the machine runs smoothly and the hose has no coils.

Release The Locking Drive

For spring-driven hose reels, a simple tug in the hose will release the locking drive.  The pull relieves the spring tension brought by drawing the hose out of the reel, causing the drum to turn as the hose recoils automatically.  Your most significant role here is to guide the hose as the reel continues.

Giraffe Retractable Garden Hose Reel 1/2″ x 130 ft, Super Heavy Duty

71H7F Z+E6L. AC SX425

Motor-driven Hose Reel

The same steps followed with the automatic or spring is the same one you follow with this motor, except you will need to power it up instead of tugging it.  The power button is used to initiate the operation of the machine.  Your work is to guide the hose as the reeling continues.

Read more about the 4 Best Lawn Sweeper For A Well Manicured Lawn

What Are The General Basic Steps To Roll Up Your Garden Hose?

Step 1:  Disconnect The Hose From The Water Source.  This is the first and most crucial step to begin your roll-up process.  Never start rolling up your hose when it’s still attached to the water source.  This prevents any restrictions from both ends of the hose from trapped air and water.

Step 2:  Detach The Hose Heads Attachments.  Detach the hose’s head from your hose to protect the heads from getting damaged.  The reeling process can cause any attachments to be dragged and toppled, thus causing scratches or even leaks.

Step 3:  Straighten The Hose Reel.  After disconnecting all attachments, try to straighten the tubing as smoothly as you can. Untangle the twists and straighten any coils before you start to reel.

General Basic Steps To Roll Up Your Garden Hose

How Do You Change a Water Hose On a Retractable Reel?

It is beneficial to know how you change a water hose on a retractable reel as it will save you both time and money. So, instead of going out to purchase a new one, here’s what you should do to get rid of the old water hose and replace it with a new one.

Steps:

  1. To begin, ensure that you have the correct water hose for the retractable reel.
  2. Thereafter, you should remove the side panels which are sometimes orange in color.
  3. Seeing that there should be about four screws attaching the existing hose to the retractable reel, you should unscrew them to release the hose from the connection.
  4. You can now remove the old water hose.
  5. To feed the new hose into the reel, you should begin by removing any tap fittings before doing so.
  6. Then, once the hose is in, you should ensure that the connection is in place before screwing it in firmly.
  7. You can now replace the side panels that you took off at the beginning and add on the new hose fittings.

What is The Best Garden Hose Reel to Buy?

If you have ever wondered what is the best garden hose reel to buy, then the following information would be of great use to you. Yes, there are hundreds of hose reels on the market with each claiming to be the ultimate one to satisfy your watering needs, but when it comes to durability, convenience, and easy use, the Gorilla Aluminum Zero Rust Premium Mobile Hose Reel is the best, according to consumer reviews. It is a solid sturdy hose reel that comes with an aluminum frame.

It is also portable and has wheels which make it for convenient to use. However, if you’re on a budget, then a much more affordable garden hose reel is the Better Homes & Gardens Hose Pot which also has a durable and sturdy structure.

How Do You Lubricate a Garden Hose Reel?

So, how do you lubricate a garden hose reel? According to popular brands and consumers, a silicone-based lubricant or vegetable oil is excellent in this respect. Adding a yearly lubrication session as a part of your garden hose maintenance plan will ensure that it lasts much longer than expected. As with anything, giving your hose reel the proper care and maintenance it requires from time to time will save you the cost of having to replace it because of exposure to the elements. Lubricants that contain silicone oil, additives, and inorganic thickeners are best suited for garden hose reels.

How Do You Make a Water Hose Reel?

If you are a person who enjoys DIY projects, then learning how do you make a water hose reel would help you to get it done without any glitches. To begin with, the aim should be to build a 360-degree swivel that would be easy to transport and use. For this, we recommend using plywood. The DIY hose reel instructions will accommodate a 50-inch 3/8 hose or a 100-inch one. You will need a few supplies to start your homemade water hose reel project and if the steps in this video are followed correctly, it can be done in minimal time.

How Do You Make a Hose Reel Out Of a Tire Rim?

If you want to know how do you make a hose reel out of a tire rim, then take heed of the simple instructions below. For this easy DIY project, you will need two galvanized floor flanges that are 3 inches and has four holes, four 3/8 inch bolts, 3 six inches long galvanized pipes that have threads at each end, a tire rim that is used, a pipe wrench, a power drill, and a socket wrench that is 3/8 inches.

Steps:

  1. Decide which structure you plan on placing your hose reel and thereafter attach the 3-inch flange, making marks to indicate where the screws will go.
  2. Then, using the power drill, it’s time to drill the holes that will fit the 3/8-inch bolts.
  3. You can now attach the flange to the mounting surface. Seeing that the flange is three inches, the same size bolts will be needed. You can use the power drill or a 3/8-inch socket wrench to tighten the bolts.
  4. It is now time to screw the 3-inch galvanized pipe into the previously attached flange on one end and use a pipe wrench to tighten it.
  5. Then, you should place the tire rim onto the galvanized pipe. Ensure that the pipe goes through the hole at the rim’s center.
  6. Finally, you can attach the flange that is 3 inches to the end of the pipe which will keep the tire rim in place.

How Much Are Hose Reels?

Have you ever wondered how much are garden hose reels? If so, then you should know that the prices for each one vary, based on the brand, durability, build, and several other factors. You can opt for the common powder-coated metal reels or carts that are quite fancy and offer convenient use. Therefore, you can buy a garden hose reel for $30 or you can opt for one that sells for hundreds of dollars.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Keep in mind that being expensive does not necessarily mean that you’re getting the best. For this reason, it is important that you look at the material, build, and convenience when it comes to usage and consumer reviews. All in all, garden hose reels are must-haves as they ensure that your hose is neatly tucked away after use.

Wrap Up

There you have it!  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!  You have all the information about how to roll up a hose on a reel, whether a manual or automatic one.  You don’t need to be a scientist to operate any of these devices.  Even a newbie gardener can toll up their hose really well!

It is super stress-free, requires minimal effort, and can be done within the shortest time possible.  What are you waiting for? Roll it up!

FAQs

How do u roll up a hose?

The process is simple. The hose has to be rolled up from one end to the other, with the inside (non-sticky) side of the hose facing out. You then fold the hose in half lengthwise and roll it up tightly until it's as short as possible.

How do you unfreeze a water hose?

If the hose freezes, it becomes hard and brittle and can break.

To prevent freezing, you can put something in the hose to keep it from freezing. You can use a material like heat tape, which is a thin layer of insulation on the hose.

Another way to prevent the hose from freezing is to put the hose in warm water or hot water.

The hose can freeze in as little as 15 minutes at temperatures as low as 30 degrees F (0 degrees C).

Should hoses be brought inside for winter?

A frozen water hose is dangerous and should not be used. If you are using a hose that has a metal or plastic tube, the hose will not freeze solid, but if it is a garden hose with a plastic or rubber hose, it can take several hours. The problem with freezing is that it's still liquid and will continue to expand as it freezes.This means that it can push on the walls of your pipe and cause leaks. If you do this in a small diameter pipe, then you can probably expect to have a leak somewhere along the line.

Do pipes always burst if they freeze?

Pipes can burst if they freeze. If you find that your water pipes are leaking, it’s time to call a plumber. The best way to stop a burst pipe is to get the water out of the pipe before it freezes.

Should I turn faucet on if pipes are frozen?

In winter, when it gets cold outside, there is a temptation to leave your outside faucet open to get the heat from the water. But, there are also several disadvantages to doing so.

One of the biggest problems with leaving the outside faucet open is that it allows for bacteria growth, which can lead to sickness.

In cold weather, water is a great insulator and you may think it is a good idea to keep your faucet dripping for warmth. However, this can actually cause problems

If you are lucky you have an old, slow dripping faucet (as opposed to a modern faucet with pressure-assisted flow).

In that case, it should work just fine. But if your water supply is modern, you'll have to run it through a pressure regulator or other device to prevent the water from shooting out. You can also use a bucket of cold water to fill up the pipe. Then you won't need to worry about pressure.

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