Hoses & Hose Fittings

Hoses & Hose Fittings

Garden hose and everything that joins it up. Two measurements govern the whole page and getting them wrong is the usual cause of a leak. Hose bore is the internal diameter, almost always 12.5mm which is half an inch, with 15mm and 19mm on heavier grades, and a fitting must match the bore or it will not seal. Outdoor taps in Ireland are typically three quarter inch BSP threaded, though older taps and indoor kitchen taps need a round or mixer connector sized by diameter instead. Beyond that, hose grade decides how long it lasts: reinforced and anti-kink hoses carry a braided layer that stops the wall collapsing when dragged round a corner, which is what causes a sudden pressure drop. Brass fittings cost more than plastic but survive frost and UV far better on anything left connected outdoors year round.

Garden Hoses

Hose pipe by the length, from short 15m runs for a small garden up to 50m for a large plot or a yard. Standard hose at 12.5mm half inch bore suits domestic mains pressure and fits every standard fitting. Reinforced and anti-kink grades add a braided inner layer for longer runs and rougher handling. Expandable and flat hoses store far smaller and weigh less, which suits a balcony or a caravan, but they do not take the same abuse as a reinforced hose and will not last as long under a car wheel or dragged over gravel. Check the bore before ordering fittings, since a 12.5mm connector will not seal on 15mm hose.

Hose Connectors

The push-fit fittings that join hose to tap, hose to hose and hose to nozzle. Threaded tap connectors in three quarter inch and one inch BSP handle standard outdoor taps, while round and mixer tap connectors sized to 18mm, 24mm and 34mm fit indoor kitchen and utility taps. A water stop or AquaStop connector shuts the flow automatically when you unclip, so you do not get soaked changing accessories. Repair connectors and joiners splice two lengths or rescue a split hose, and Y-connectors split one tap between two hoses. Brass versions from Faithfull outlast plastic outdoors.

Hose Reels

A hose reel solves the two problems a loose hose creates: kinking and storage. Wall mounted reels fix beside the tap and keep the hose off the ground permanently. Freestanding cart and trolley reels wheel the hose to where the work is, which suits a long garden. Auto-rewind and retractable reels pull the hose back in on a spring or a ratchet so it never needs coiling by hand. Check the drum capacity against your hose length before buying, and note that most reels come supplied with a short inlet lead and the connectors to join it to the tap.

Hose Clips

Hose clips, also called jubilee or worm drive clips, clamp a hose onto a barbed fitting and hold the seal under pressure. They are sized by the diameter range they close over rather than a single figure, so a clip specified 12 to 20mm covers anything in that span, and one too large will not tighten evenly. Stainless steel resists rust outdoors and in damp plant rooms. They go well beyond garden hose, onto washing machine and dishwasher waste, car coolant and heater hoses, and any barbed plumbing joint that has to come apart again.

Hozelock is the largest range across hose, fittings, reels and spray guns, followed by Aquacraft. Kingfisher, Aquaplus and Garden Pro cover value fittings and hose, Karcher pressure washer hose and adaptors, and Easi Plumb the plumbing-side connections.