Can I leave my discharge hose outside in the winter?
We are often asked questions about winterizing hose. The answer to this question is similar and yet also different for each type of hose. Today we will focus on winterizing discharge hose. There are different types of lay flat hose and each will respond to the elements differently. In this article we will use Sun-Flo discharge hose as our main reference. To get details about your hose please check its product spec sheet for the type of lay flat hose you are using. With that said here are some basic principles to keep in mind:
Disconnect it
Ok this seems like a no brainer, and it is. But how many times have you or someone you know and love (maybe used to love) forgotten to disconnect a hose in the winter. If
you have gotten away with this with minimal or no damage count yourself lucky. The consequences of this simple mistake can be huge. Water damage is often very costly to repair. Even if you just disconnect the hose from the water source and leave the hose outside you have potentially saved yourself from an expensive and time-consuming mess. Replacing a hose is cheap compared to the impact water can have on buildings and property. Leaving your discharge hose attached to the water supply doesn’t allow that connection to properly drain the water from it and it can freeze inside the pipe. The water inside the hose will expand when it freezes and potentially damaging the hose. You often don’t see the effects of this until things thaw and the water is turned back on. One of the blessings of technology is that you can schedule events and set reminders. We would advise you or your staff to schedule a yearly reminder to disconnect and drain the outside hoses and pipes you are not using in the winter months. You can schedule these reminders to repeat every year. As the saying goes “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”
Drain your hose
If you live and work in a climate with freezing temperatures and you are going to leave your discharge hose outside in the cold and dreary winter months make sure to drain it. As mentioned earlier water expands when it freezes, and this can damage your hose. Even small amounts of water left in a hose create potential problems. You can use gravity to help with draining the hose by stretching it out on a section of land that has a consistent downhill decline.
The challenge with draining a discharge hose is that it will collapse when it is not under pressure. Hence why it is also called lay flat hose. The best way to ensure your lay flat hose is completely drained is to run air through it. If you can connect it to an air compressor and blow it out, much like blowing out sprinklers, then you should be able to get all the water out.
Roll it up
Discharge hose is typically easy to roll up, unless you purchase the cheap stuff. Then it can be like wrestling a snake. Storing it rolled up reduces the surface area that is impacted by the elements or other items that can potentially damage the hose. To prevent damage the good people at Sun-Flo advise that you not handle their discharge
hose when temperatures drop below 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Another thing to consider is UV protection when storing a hose outside. Many hoses offer UV protection, but this typically slows the degradation the sun has on the hose. This in general is not a primary concern. Just another factor to consider.
Summary
It is always best to store hose inside when not in use if you are in a cold weather climate. Remember to disconnect your hose from the water source. If storing your discharge hose inside is not an option, you can store it outside. Make sure to drain all the water out of it and if feasible roll it up and put it in a safe place. Reminder not to handle or move it if the temperature falls below 5 degrees Fahrenheit. These measures are not 100% fail-safe but will provide your lay flat hose with good protection in the harsh winter elements. If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to our friendly and knowledgeable team at Factory Direct Hose.