That Time Of Year Again...
Hope you've enjoyed the autumn leaves and fresh cool air! We at Liberty Garden, want to remind you that winter is approaching fast and while the temperatures here in the Piedmont continue to fluctuate between the high 70's and 50's, the Midwest is starting to get into the low 40's! Although the frosty months aren't quite here yet, it may be a good time to starting thinking about winterizing your home and some of your outdoor hardware, like your Liberty Garden hose storage units. Any usage of your hose reel or hose cart will warrant effective winterization techniques in order to maximize their lifespan and help avoid damage.
Draining Your Water Hose and Hose Storage Unit
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first method involves an air compressor and 3 brass fittings, which may require you to spend some money, but is ultimately a more effective solution. The second, is to simply unreeling the water hose on your hose reel/cart and letting gravity take care of the rest. Both methods work well (I personally like the first one for its methodical procedure), but if money and time are a factor then by all means proceed with the "gravity" method and expect the same results.
Portable Air Compressor (Can be purchased at local hardware store like Lowes or Home Depot)
5/8" MALE brass hose thread x 1/2" FEMALE hose thread adapter (NOTE: If you are draining a Liberty model 1180 hose cart, use a 1" MALE brass hose thread x 1/2" FEMALE hose thread adapter.)
1/2" MALE brass national pipe thread x 1/8" FEMALE brass national pipe thread reducer
1/8" MALE national pipe thread tank valve
1. Attach the 1/2" MALE end of the brass pipe thread reducer into the 1/2" FEMALE end of the hose thread adapter.
2. Attach the 1/8" MALE end of the National Pipe Thread Tank Valve into the 1/8" FEMALE end of the brass pipe thread reducer.
3. Once the attachments have been made, attach the other end of the tank valve into the air compressor hose.
Before moving forward with the next step, DISCONNECT your leader hose from the water source and make sure no attachments (sprinklers, hose nozzles, sprayers) are attached to the water hose.
4. Connect the 5/8" MALE end into the leader hose.
5. Check for crimping or kinks in the water hose and leader hose.
6. Take your hand and grip the end of the water hose before turning the air compressor on. 100-150 psi of air will be forced through the leader hose, into the swivel connectors and piping, and out the water hose which may cause the spool to spin very quickly (effectively swinging the water hose around and potentially injuring you).
6. Turn on the air compressor. Water will spray out of the water hose during this time. If water does not come out, check to see that the brass attachments are properly secured and that there are not kinks and crimps in the water hose.
7. After water stops spraying out of the water hose, turn off the air compressor and disconnect the brass attachments from the leader hose.
Condition: Your hose storage unit needs to be located ABOVE the brass fitting on the end of your water hose so that gravity can carry the water out.
1. Disconnect the leader hose from the water source.
2. Unreel the full length of your water hose from your hose storage unit.
3. Slowly reel the water hose. Water should be pouring out of the hose as you proceed.
Now that you've drained the water from the hose storage unit and the hose, you can either remove the water hose from hose storage unit and store it in a nice dry location OR connect both ends of the water hose together (closing the loop) and leave the hose on the hose storage unit. The latter offers you the peace of mind of knowing no bugs or critters crawl inside the water hose.
After draining your hose storage unit, we suggest cleaning and coating it with a clear acrylic spray or glaze to minimize the chance of rust developing. If the paint is scratched, repair it easily with standard automotive touch-up paint. These methods will help ensure you receive the most use out of your hose storage unit.
Zack Capes
Social Media Director