As you prepare your lawn and garden for winter by bringing in pots, performing routine mower maintenance, and mulching garden beds, don’t forget to tend to your garden hose. This three-season workhorse is an essential part of your spring, summer, and fall landscaping toolkit, but it should be disconnected, drained, and stored in winter.
Winter weather can cause multiple issues with your hose and spigot, from frozen pipes to cracked sheathing. Follow these expert-approved steps to properly drain, coil, and store the hose—and carefully protect the spigot—to keep your outdoor water source ready for spring.
When to Stop Using Your Garden Hose
Disconnect, drain, and store your hose before a hard freeze to guarantee all the water is out and the spigot is protected. “It is safe to reconnect your hose in the spring once the danger of a series of hard, overnight freezes has completely passed for the season,” says Annie Morton, brand ambassador for Hoselink. “Before turning the water back on, check your indoor shut-off valve and reverse what you did in the fall, removing the insulated cover, attaching nozzles, and turning on water.”
Importance of Storing Your Garden Hose in Winter
Keeping your hose attached to an outdoor spigot in winter can damage your hose. “It’s important to store a hose to prevent it from freezing,” says Ron Shimek, president of Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company. “Freezing water expands when frozen and can crack hoses and fittings. Water can also be trapped in the faucet pipe, increasing the risk of burst plumbing.”
How to Store Your Garden Hose in Winter
Unscrew the Hose
Before draining your hose, remove all fixtures and disconnect the hose from the spigot. “To unscrew a hose, detach all nozzles, sprinklers, or fixtures, and store attachments so they don’t trap moisture and rust,” says Shimek. “This also keeps small fittings from fusing or corroding during the winter months.”
Drain the Hose
You’ll need to make sure the hose is completely drained of water to prevent cold-weather damage. “Any leftover water can freeze and split the hose,” says Shimek. “To drain a hose, lift one end of the hose and walk it down to push water out. Then, shake it gently to release trapped pockets.”
If you use a hose reel, Morton says you can drain the hose by fully unwinding it, then reeling it back in slowly to force the water out. “If your hose reel is detachable, be sure to remove it from the wall and store it indoors with the hose,” she says.
Coil the Hose
Keep your hose in good condition for the coming year by coiling it in large, loose loops to avoid kinks. “Avoid tight bends, which weaken the hose material. Fasten the coil loosely with a tie or strap, so that it retains its form but is not compressed,” says Shimek. While a retractable hose reel should provide a tidy, unwrinkled coil, double-check before storing. “If using a hose reel, ensure the hose rolls evenly onto the drum without bunching to maintain its shape and prevent weak spots,” Morton says.
Store the Hose
Keep your hose protected from freezing temperatures and UV rays during winter to safeguard the material from turning brittle. “You should store the coiled hose somewhere cool, dry, and dark, like your garage or basement, where the temperature stays above freezing,” says Morton. “Keep it hung up or on a shelf to protect it from moisture and sunlight, which can cause the material to crack over time.
Make sure all attachments are completely dry before moving them to a storage spot, as moisture can freeze and crack the casings if they are stored in a cold area. Morton also recommends joining the open ends of your hose together to prevent pests from getting inside.
Protect the Spigot
Insulating your spigot from sub-zero temperatures helps protect your pipes from freezing and bursting. “The most important step for the spigot is to find its shut-off valve inside your hose and turn the water off completely,” says Morton. “Once the water is off, open the outside spigot to drain any leftover water from the pipe. Cover the faucet with an insulated hose bib cover for extra protection.”
How to Safely Use Your Hose in Winter
If you live in a region with relatively mild winters, you may find your evergreens in need of extra watering to combat winter burn, says Morton. “If you need to reconnect the hose, drain it immediately afterward and re-insulate the spigot, even for a few hours of use, as freezing temperatures happen fast,” she says. But don’t take this approach in freezing temperatures, during snowstorms, or in other severe winter weather, as the freezing air can damage your spigot and hose.
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