If you are following my posts you will know that my preference for a garden hose reel for your home is a spring rewind / auto retracting reel - once you have used one you will never go back to a manual crank reel.
A spring rewind / auto retracting reel is like going from horse and cart to the automobile - a significant advance in effiency and ease of use.
The restriction of this type of reel is hose length. If you need more than 18m (66ft) of hose then you will have to entertain a manual crank reel.
So if you cannot strategically place your reel(s) - refer my post regarding positioning of reels - using spring rewind / auto rewind reels then you have no choice other than a manual rewind reel.
There are numerous types / brands of manual rewind / crank reels out there, in many different designs, functionality and material construction.
It can be a minefield making a choice - watch my future posts to give you some helpful hints.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Choosing a hose reel for your garden - Tip #3
For the best efficiency I prefer a spring rewind / auto retracting garden hose reel, they make life so much easier.
Generally speaking they operate by simply pulling out the length of hose you require then "locking" the hose at that length - then when finished watering a simple "tug" on the hose will operate the spring mechanism to rewind the hose automatically.
Really, it can't get any better than that!!!
Again, (refer to previous posts) the use of a spring rewind / auto retracting reel for your garden will be determined by the positioning of the reel(s) and what your requirements are.
If the reach you need from a given point (refer previous post on positioning of reels) is within 15m (60ft) then a spring rewind / auto retracting reel is ideal.
If you need more than 15m (60ft) reach then unfortunately you will need a manual crank reel.
I will cover this in my next post
Generally speaking they operate by simply pulling out the length of hose you require then "locking" the hose at that length - then when finished watering a simple "tug" on the hose will operate the spring mechanism to rewind the hose automatically.
Really, it can't get any better than that!!!
Again, (refer to previous posts) the use of a spring rewind / auto retracting reel for your garden will be determined by the positioning of the reel(s) and what your requirements are.
If the reach you need from a given point (refer previous post on positioning of reels) is within 15m (60ft) then a spring rewind / auto retracting reel is ideal.
If you need more than 15m (60ft) reach then unfortunately you will need a manual crank reel.
I will cover this in my next post
Choosing a hose reel for your garden - Tip #2
Hose length will be a determining factor in choosing a suitable hose reel for your garden (where you want to use it and where you can / should mount the reel comes into play - refer to my previous posts on this subject)
There are a number of different types of hose reels available (not brands, there are hundreds of brands) - manual crank / hand wind, spring rewind / auto retracting, water powered reels, motor driven reels.
For most consumers with the average sized garden the two main choices are manual / hand rewind or spring rewind / auto retracting / spring retractable.
So what is the best type of reel for your application?
Spring rewind or auto retracting reels have limited hose length, generally at about 18m (66ft) for 12mm (1/2") internal diameter hose. Whereas hand crank reels are available in longer hose lengths.
Added to this is that both types of reels are available in different materials construction, plastics, steel, aluminium and stainless steel.
Much of the decision of the type of garden hose reel to purchase can relate to your budget - but do not let price be your only guide.
In my next post I will elaborate further.
There are a number of different types of hose reels available (not brands, there are hundreds of brands) - manual crank / hand wind, spring rewind / auto retracting, water powered reels, motor driven reels.
For most consumers with the average sized garden the two main choices are manual / hand rewind or spring rewind / auto retracting / spring retractable.
So what is the best type of reel for your application?
Spring rewind or auto retracting reels have limited hose length, generally at about 18m (66ft) for 12mm (1/2") internal diameter hose. Whereas hand crank reels are available in longer hose lengths.
Added to this is that both types of reels are available in different materials construction, plastics, steel, aluminium and stainless steel.
Much of the decision of the type of garden hose reel to purchase can relate to your budget - but do not let price be your only guide.
In my next post I will elaborate further.
Choosing a hose reel for your Garden - Tip #1
As you may be aware there are a myriad of types of reel for garden use in the marketplace. Some of the large stores, like a Walmart, Kmart, Sears etc and catalogue houses will stock or promote a certain variety of garden hose reels.
This doesn't mean that these are neccisarily the best hose reels available for you to choose from, often case it will likely be the range they can make the most profit from, albeit they will not range non popular reels.
As per my previous posts it is first and foremost important to ascertain what you want the hose reel to do for you to give you efficiencies in your garden - not just go out and buy the cheapest or most advertised garden reel.
Aside from the large retailers offerings there are many other sources of reels for garden use that you can investigate.
There are a number of important aspects to consider before you part with your hard earned cash.
I will cover these in future posts
This doesn't mean that these are neccisarily the best hose reels available for you to choose from, often case it will likely be the range they can make the most profit from, albeit they will not range non popular reels.
As per my previous posts it is first and foremost important to ascertain what you want the hose reel to do for you to give you efficiencies in your garden - not just go out and buy the cheapest or most advertised garden reel.
Aside from the large retailers offerings there are many other sources of reels for garden use that you can investigate.
There are a number of important aspects to consider before you part with your hard earned cash.
I will cover these in future posts
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Garden Hose Reels - Tip #3 - positioning your reel to best advantage
Last but not least in this section of positioning your garden hose reel is how you install / mount your garden hose reel after you have decided where you want / need it.
A garden hose reel should be offering you efficiencies right? - if not then you could use an old car wheel rim.
Tip - make sure you mount the reel at a suitable "ergonomic" height - a height which will not have you bending over or reaching up to operate your garden hose reel. Take some time to measure the installation / mounting position carefully before installing the reel to a wall or post or other fixing.
The ideal position is for the hose as it rewinds onto the reel to be at about your hip height (this assumes in hand crank reels that the crank is centre line with the reel which should be the case - for spring rewind reels this will be a given).
Ok - now what type / style of garden hose reel should you consider - I will address that in future posts
A garden hose reel should be offering you efficiencies right? - if not then you could use an old car wheel rim.
Tip - make sure you mount the reel at a suitable "ergonomic" height - a height which will not have you bending over or reaching up to operate your garden hose reel. Take some time to measure the installation / mounting position carefully before installing the reel to a wall or post or other fixing.
The ideal position is for the hose as it rewinds onto the reel to be at about your hip height (this assumes in hand crank reels that the crank is centre line with the reel which should be the case - for spring rewind reels this will be a given).
Ok - now what type / style of garden hose reel should you consider - I will address that in future posts
Garden Hose Reels - Tip #2 - positioning your reel to best advantage
So following on from my previous post, if installing / mounting your garden hose reel near / next to your water supply to the reel (tap / faucet) will not give you the most desired coverage then there are solutions.
Example - you may have 2, 3 or more water supply points around your house - typically most homes have 2 - one at the front and one at the back of the house. These outlets may not be in the best position for watering your garden - I know mine aren't and I designed my house!!!
Example 2 - I have a water supply (tap / faucet) on the south facing side at the front of my house, about a metre (3ft) from the corner of the house. There is no garden(s) on that section of the south side of the house - the gardens are on the west side!!!
So mounting a hose reel right next to that outlet means I am pulling the hose around a corner - not very practical or sensible right?
So the solution for me was to run some poly water pipe from the outlet, along the ground (eventually I pulled up my pavers and buried it) to a point on the west side of the house where the garden is. Sounds logical however even I didn't think of it in the first place!!
I fitted a riser and an on / off valve and then mounted my garden hose reel in the best possible position for me to get the best efficiency and least hassles.
It is easy and cheap to do - you don't need to pay a plumber to do this for you - some poly pipe, some fittings and the job is done!!
Example - you may have 2, 3 or more water supply points around your house - typically most homes have 2 - one at the front and one at the back of the house. These outlets may not be in the best position for watering your garden - I know mine aren't and I designed my house!!!
Example 2 - I have a water supply (tap / faucet) on the south facing side at the front of my house, about a metre (3ft) from the corner of the house. There is no garden(s) on that section of the south side of the house - the gardens are on the west side!!!
So mounting a hose reel right next to that outlet means I am pulling the hose around a corner - not very practical or sensible right?
So the solution for me was to run some poly water pipe from the outlet, along the ground (eventually I pulled up my pavers and buried it) to a point on the west side of the house where the garden is. Sounds logical however even I didn't think of it in the first place!!
I fitted a riser and an on / off valve and then mounted my garden hose reel in the best possible position for me to get the best efficiency and least hassles.
It is easy and cheap to do - you don't need to pay a plumber to do this for you - some poly pipe, some fittings and the job is done!!
Garden Hose Reels - Tips #1 - the old real estate addage, Position, Position, Position
So you are considering buying a hose reel for your garden. Maybe you have walked through a few large DYI or Hardware stores or even checked out a few sites on the internet and are maybe a little bit confused about what type you should purchase?
Let's first look at the that wonderful real estate addage, position, position, position as a starting point.
Where are you going to install / mount your garden hose reel?
What practical length of hose will you need on the hose reel relative to where you install it?
What area of garden or lawn do you want to effectively cover with your hose reel?
Is your current inlet water supply (tap / faucet)limiting you on where you can install / mount your garden hose reel? The chances are the position of your water supply (tap / faucet) outdoors for use with a garden hose was arbitrarily determined by the builder of your home or the previous owner, or if by you then likely from a set of plans - let's face it, the garden / lawn area was either not perdetermined or has changed.
So if the length of hose on a type of hose reel you are considering is not quite going to give you the coverage you need - what is the solution?
I will offer some suggestions on my next post.
Let's first look at the that wonderful real estate addage, position, position, position as a starting point.
Where are you going to install / mount your garden hose reel?
What practical length of hose will you need on the hose reel relative to where you install it?
What area of garden or lawn do you want to effectively cover with your hose reel?
Is your current inlet water supply (tap / faucet)limiting you on where you can install / mount your garden hose reel? The chances are the position of your water supply (tap / faucet) outdoors for use with a garden hose was arbitrarily determined by the builder of your home or the previous owner, or if by you then likely from a set of plans - let's face it, the garden / lawn area was either not perdetermined or has changed.
So if the length of hose on a type of hose reel you are considering is not quite going to give you the coverage you need - what is the solution?
I will offer some suggestions on my next post.
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