Heated Garden Hoses: How It Works
Most homeowners, including you, use a regular garden hose outside to address all water needs; but it’s there’s no denying that it could get very challenging to use it once winter comes, or more specifically, when the temperature outside reaches below freezing point. As soon as water inside the garden hose freezes, you no longer can use it the way you’re supposed to and in the process, the hose itself will most likely crack. Usually, you need to detach the hose from the spigot and drain it completely, and then keep it warm inside your home so that you can use it the next day. But there’s a way to avoid all that hassle; and this is by replacing your old garden hose with a heated version.
Heated Garden Hose, Anyone?
By definition, a heated hose looks the same to that of a typical garden hose, but the difference is that it is fitted with an electric heater, the purpose of which is to keep it warm as soon as temperatures outside drop below freezing. The most sophisticated variants even have thermostatic control capabilities. What this means is that whenever the temperature outside drops on a very specific point, it’ll trigger the heater, and the it also turns it off when the ambient air warms.
Moreover, many varieties are heated in full length; this is made possible by molding electrical wires into the PVC vinyl. This type will work by running electrical power through those attached wires, in the process efficiently heating the hose. Therefore, water flowing inside the hose won’t freeze even if temperature from the outside drops below freezing.
Safety Issues
No matter how insistent skeptics are in convincing you that heated garden hoses pose a safety risk, the truth is thy are completely safe to use. In reality, they are meticulously manufactured to ensure that water will never in any way come into contact with electricity. Nevertheless, you still have to be extra careful in buying a heated hose because not all of them are manufactured to pass the existing safety standards for electrical devices.
You also must be aware that not all heated garden hoses are created equal. This is relatively true when it comes to the amount of power they need to prevent freezing. Accordingly, the amount of electrical power required is reliant on the length of the hose. For example, 200 watts is enough for a 25-foot hose, while a 50-foot hose will need 400 watts.
In the end, shopping for the right heated garden hose basically means knowing what your needs for it are. Of course, it makes perfect sense to choose one that’s American made, plus it’s as important to ensure that it is safe for drinking water if you plan on using the same hose for distributing water to your RV or livestock and pets.