Connect Garden Hose to Pool Pump: An Easy Guide

Pool owners may have to figure out how to connect garden hose to pool pumps at one point in time or another. 

If you’ve recently purchased an above-ground pool or had an in-ground one installed, you’d be surprised at the sheer number of hoses, clamps, and fittings you have to put together.

Without professional guidance, it can be challenging to figure out how to supplement a standard pool hose for a garden hose.

Fortunately, there are a couple of methods that can help you to quickly establish a connection to your pool pump for a variety of purposes.

What Does a Pool Pump Do?

It’s important to understand just how crucial your pool’s pump is to know why you may need to use your garden hose as a connector in an emergency. 

Your pool pump is responsible for bringing water through the skimmer and then pushing the water through the filter, allowing the cleaned water back into the pool. 

If, for any reason, you find the original hose connecting your pool to its pump is broken, you may have to supplement the tubing for a regular garden hose.

Homeowners may also prefer to use garden hoses for their pools instead of the tubes provided by the manufacturer since you have full control over the quality and resilience of a separately purchased garden hose. 

Not only will you be able to choose from an assortment of lengths, but you can also choose from a variety of different diameters, as well.

How to Connect a Garden Hose to a Pool Pump

Below, you will find the steps you’ll need to follow to connect a garden hose to your pool pump for filtering or even filling your pool with water after its initial setup. 

There are also a couple of extra steps that you can use to attach a pool vacuum to the filter, for example.

The Procedure

Here are the essential steps to follow:

1. Find an Adapter

The first thing you will need to do is research the type of pool you have and the garden hose you want to use to find the right adapter. 

You’ll find most of the parts are made from a high-quality plastic that can easily be inserted into one end of the hose and then into the pump on your pool. 

Instead of having to find special clamps and other accessories, all you have to do is either screw-on or insert the adapter into one end of your hose so that it creates a firm seal.

This process is by far one of the most natural methods for connecting your garden hose to the pump on your pool, as it can save you from having to buy new pieces for your pool. 

Homeowners on a budget will love being able to make the most out of the gardening equipment they already have around the house.

2. Buy Clamps

Adapters can be quite useful, but they might not give you the durability you need to make sure the garden hose doesn’t slip off the pool pump. 

For an even tighter seal, you have to rely on the use of clamps, which are typically included with above-ground pool kits, but you can also purchase them separately. 

Your best bet for finding high-quality clamps is to visit your local hardware store or to shop around online.

The most important feature that your clamps should have is water resistance to avoid rusting and deterioration over the season. 

Also, you will need to make sure the hose clamp is the appropriate size for both your garden hose as well as the intake valves where they will be placed on the skimmer and the pump. 

You’ll likely need only two clamps, though we recommend you to buy four just in case you run into issues.

3. Tighten the Clamps

Once you have the correct clamps for the diameter of the garden hose, you can slide it over the end of the intake on the pump and tighten it. 

Most clamps require using a flat-head screwdriver for tightening, and you’ll want to make sure you screw it clockwise without using too much pressure to avoid over-tightening.

For the second end of the garden hose, you’ll want to attach it to the bottom of the skimmer, using the same clamp and tightening technique as you used for the end of the pump or the intake.

Using Garden Hoses for Return Fittings

If you have a small-sized pool, you may only have two hoses to replace using garden hoses, the second being the return fitting on the pool wall and the pump. 

You can easily use the above steps to do this process as well, and the only difference is one end of the hose will be clamped to the return fitting on the pump while the other is on the return fitting of the wall of your pool.

Creating a DIY Pool Vacuum

You might not need to replace your pool hoses with a standard garden hose, but you can easily create your very own pool vacuum using your existing gardening equipment. 

Instead of investing in an expensive pool vacuuming kit, you can use an old vacuum attachment with an old garden hose to help save you time and effort.

First, you will need to remove the existing couplers on either end of your hose, as they won’t be compatible with the cleaning attachments. 

Once this is complete, you can then slide one end of the hose over the fitting on the vacuum head, making sure you fasten it by using hose clamps. 

You will now need to prime the vacuum attachment by submerging it in the water, allowing enough time for the hose to fill with water and get rid of any air bubbles.

Once the hose is primed, you then attach the other end to the skimmer portion of the pump and begin vacuuming.

Video that will help you make a DIY pool vacuum using a garden hose. 

The Disadvantages of Using a Garden Hose

Considering your pool is a hefty investment, you’ll want to make sure you have all of the right materials to preserve the integrity of your expensive equipment. 

Although a garden hose can be beneficial for a temporary resolution, it likely won’t perform as well as the regular hoses you can get for your pool.

Below are a couple of the most significant disadvantages to using a garden hose with the rest of your pool equipment.

1. Improper Sizing

By far, the most noticeable issue you’ll experience with using a garden hose instead of a proper hose for your pump is that a garden hose might not fit around the valves on the pump. 

Most hoses get as large as 1/2”, whereas the tubing you need for pools can range from one to 1.5”. 

You may have to find a specialty size to fit around the fittings on your pool pump; otherwise, you’ll have to find larger adapters.

You can also shorten a garden hose if you find the length is too long.

Bigger adapters will fit within the diameter of the garden hose and around the width of the pump perfectly.

2. Heat Resistance

The vast majority of standard garden hoses do not withstand heat well, especially since the water that leaves your spigot is traditionally cold. 

If you have a heated pool that will be circulating warm water, you will want to ensure you opt for rubber tubing designed to deal with higher temperatures. 

Otherwise, the garden hose will show a lot of wear and tear over the coming months and might not last an entire season.

Connect Garden Hose to Pool Pump: Final Thoughts

It surely is possible to connect garden hose to pool pumps, as long as you’re able to find an adapter or an appropriately sized hose. 

In fact, you can use a garden hose to plumb water out of a washing machine, or from under a kitchen sink too.

It’s a great temporary solution, but as with any other expensive equipment in your backyard, you’ll want to make sure you use the appropriate accessories for the job.