You may need to figure out how to increase water pressure in garden hoses for a variety of reasons.
Perhaps your hose has a kink, or it’s simply not getting water, regardless, there are several reasons as to why it may be performing poorly.
Within this guide, we’ll discuss the most common reasons as to why you might be suffering from reduced water pressure and the DIY steps to take to remedy the situation.
How to Increase Water Pressure in Garden Hose
Before you look into the things to do to help improve water pressure, you need to consider where the low amount of pressure is coming from.
We’ll provide some of the most common reasons for low water pressure plus solutions for each.
1. Find and Fix Minor Issues
If you find the pressure is adequate from the spigot but isn’t coming out properly from the hose itself, it could be one of three reasons:
Shoddy Hose
Over time, your hose will experience a lot of wear and tear, especially if you don’t have a hose reel to store it on.
Being exposed to the elements can cause the material on the inside or outside of the hose to wear down, causing tears and minuscule holes that force the water to leak, rather than shoot out seamlessly.
Unfortunately, a broken hose will not have as much power as a brand new one, and if this is the issue with your garden equipment, you may want to consider investing in a new hose.
Hose Blockage
You would be surprised at how easy it is for your hose to get blocked, especially with improper storage.
There could be dirt that has traveled up the tubing and settled in a particular area so well that even fast-moving water cannot dislodge the blockage.
It’s also possible that other types of debris or bugs could force the water to get clogged in the middle or end of the hose.
If you think you’re dealing with a hose blockage, there are a few easy ways to clear it out so that your hose can start working like usual again.
One of the most efficient ways is to use an air compressor to shoot air into the hose to dislodge whatever is clogging the tubing.
Homeowners have also suggested that a plumber’s snake could be a fantastic resolution, not to mention it’s also a convenient tool to have around the house for other projects.
Broken Spray Nozzle
You likely have a spray nozzle on the end of your hose that allows you to choose from several different spray patterns for your yard work.
Over time, the spray nozzle is likely to experience a lot of wear and tear, especially when it comes to calcium and mineral buildup in each of the individual holes.
You might also find that the spray nozzle might not work anymore, which will severely impact the amount of water pressure you have available.
Consider removing the spray nozzle to see if the hose works appropriately on its own; if so, then you have quickly figured out the problem.
If low pressure persists and your hose has been cleared of damage and blockages, it’s time to move onto the next steps.
2. Find and Fix a Leak
Leaking pipes tend to be the number one cause for low water pressure, but what’s even more dangerous is that the leak could be affecting your house in other areas that you are unaware of.
The simplest way to figure out if there is a leak is to turn the water off to your household appliances.
Once this step is complete, you can then inspect your water meter to see if it’s consuming resources.
If the meter is not spinning, then there isn’t a leak.
However, if it is, you have to follow the pipes under your house to figure out the problem.
Unless you have experience with plumbing, this task is better handled by professionals since they can thread a camera through your pipes to find the problem area.
They will also be able to repair the damage to your pipes and determine if there are any other points where a leak may become a problem in the future.
Not to mention they’ll check your existing plumbing system for corrosion, which can also cause low water pressure.
3. Inspect and Replace the Hose Spigot
The part where you connect your garden hose to your house is called the spigot, and it is responsible for putting out all of the water and water pressure that you need for outdoor work.
If you’ve confirmed that the water pressure is weak from the spigot itself, it might be time to find a replacement.
Fortunately, replacing a spigot can be quite simple, and you can typically tell if you need a new one by looking at the quality of your existing one.
Typically, if the water pressure in every other area of your house is normal, but the spigot is not, you’ll want a new one, and all you’ll need is a set of adjustable wrenches to do the job.
Before replacing the entire unit, we recommend using a water pressure test gauge to see what the pressure rating to know if it’s adequate for your needs.
You can find these devices at your local hardware store, and they typically aren’t too expensive.
Ideally, the water pressure coming out of the spigot should be between 45 and 55 PSI, which is the average for households.
4. Adjust the Pressure Regulator
The majority of homes have a pressure regulator underneath your home, generally in the same area where the water supply from the city main enters your home.
Again, this is a project that you might need a professional, especially if you don’t have any plumbing experience.
You can typically tell if your water pressure needs to be adjusted based on how water flows out of your taps and water-consuming appliances in the house.
In most cases, the pressure regulator will have a small screw that can be turned in either direction to lessen or increase the water pressure that your house will receive.
Another reason as to why you will want to consult with a plumber is that too much water pressure can cause substantial damage to your appliances and your home.
Also, depending on the state of your pipes, too much pressure could cause them to burst.
5. Check Connections
There are a few areas where your garden hose connects to water, including the spigot, a leader hose, and your spray nozzle.
At each connection, there will be a small device known as a coupler, which is responsible for keeping the two pieces together, and they should be water-tight.
It’s common for a coupler to come loose, especially if you frequently disconnect the hose from its other connections.
If you’ve notice pooling water when you turn the hose on or particularly wet areas near each connection, you may have to tighten fittings.
It might also be a good idea to consider using plumber’s tape to make the connections even tighter, which will surely help to improve the water pressure.
Fortunately, this is something that you can do at home without the help of a plumber, even if you’ve never done it before.
6. Fix Tangles and Kinks
Did you know that even if your hose doesn’t look like it’s bent in certain areas, a simple tangle could also cause a substantial reduction in water pressure?
To get a good idea of how easily water travels through your hose, it should be completely straight so that nothing needs to flow around corners, which will slow down the entire process.
You’ll want to make sure that there aren’t any apparent kinks that could cause the water to be unable to travel to the spray nozzle, as well.
Buying a New Hose
If you’ve tried all these tips on how to increase water pressure in garden hoses and nothing has changed, it could be that your hose is just not designed to handle more pressure.
Apart from deterioration over time, buying a new hose can be a fantastic way to have access to more and faster-moving water.
You might be able to benefit from investing in a hose with a larger diameter than the one you typically use, as every size has its own water pressure rating.
As an example, 1/2” hoses will offer nine gallons of water each minute while a 3/4” tube delivers 23 gallons of water per minute.
When you visit your local hardware store, be sure to read all of the information on the packaging of each hose you’re considering.
Even though a particular size might look like your average garden hose, it might not offer a high enough pressure rating for the jobs you need to do.
Another important factor in buying a new hose is to consider its length, as well as the distance the water has to travel, as it can cause lower pressure.
Opting for a standard length hose, between 50’ and 150’, will help you to have the most water pressure to put to good use, while longer tubes may have more of a trickling effect.
This point is particularly accurate for regular households that have never adjusted the water pressure settings of their home.
Useful Video on Increasing Pressure in a Garden Hose
Conclusion
Figuring out how to increase water pressure in garden hoses can be easy, especially if you don’t need to inspect the pipes under your home.
Most often, you can use this guide to find the problem area and address it on your own for a few dollars thanks to your local hardware store.
However, if water pressure is an issue throughout your whole home, it could be a sign of a more significant problem.