Garden hoses are great tools, but sometimes it can be a bit of a pain to put them away after using them. There are also times where you need to use a hose in a high traffic area and may be wondering if the hose will be damaged if it is ran over. Can you run over a garden hose?
Generally speaking, no, you shouldn’t run over a garden hose. Each time your hose is ran over, it causes damage, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Also, running over the fittings can damage them to the point where they need replaced.
How a hose will hold up to being ran over is determined by how heavy the vehicle, what materials the hose and fittings are made from, and the hose design . If running over a hose is a concern, you’ll want to chose one that is designed for durability and has crush resistant fittings.
In this article, I’ll talk about the best materials for durability for both hoses and fittings. I’ll also discuss a few tips to help you avoid driving over your garden hose, like buying a hand crank hose reel to help keep it out of the way.
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Can You Run Over a Garden Hose?
As I discussed above, you shouldn’t run over a garden hose. With that said, some hoses will be able to withstand being ran over many times while others may be ruined after one such occurrence. Even though some hoses still function just fine after a vehicle runs over it, they are still being damaged, which will eventually mean having to repair or replace it.
There are many materials hoses can be made from. Each kind of hose will will hold up differently. Let’s look at the most common hose materials and how they stand up to being ran over.
Rubber Hoses
Rubber Hoses will be one of the best hoses you can buy for withstanding heavy loads. Rubber hoses are very flexible, which means they aren’t designed to hold their shape when under pressure. This allows rubber hoses to reform their shape easily after being ran over without cracking or rupturing.
Rubber is also one of the most durable materials a hose can be made from. This combination of flexibility and durability makes rubber hoses one of the longest lasting hoses you can find. They also hold up great in extreme temperatures (both high and low).
Vinyl Hoses
Vinyl hoses range from heavy reinforced hoses primarily designed for kink resistance to cheap thin hoses that aren’t very durable at all. In general, vinyl hoses are not going to hold up well when they are ran over. Vinyl hoses, even the cheap ones, are designed to hold their shape. So when under heavy stress, like a car, they tend to crack or rupture easily.
The cheap hoses should be avoided completely if there is a chance it could be ran over. These hoses will likely crack after one occurrence or soon after. Cheap vinyl hoses are not durable at all. They are cheap for a reason. They are especially susceptible to damage in extreme temperatures.
Premium vinyl hoses will have extra layers and/or braiding usually intended to keep them from kinking. These extra features also help them to be more durable. Here is a picture of a hose I own that has braiding throughout the hose.
While these hoses will certainly hold up better to being ran over than cheap vinyl hoses, they will still likely crack or burst if it happens repeatedly. In general, vinyl hoses are going to damage pretty easily when compared to rubber hoses, especially if ran over by heavy vehicles. If you want to read more about the differences between vinyl and rubber hoses check out our article.
Composite Hoses
Composite hoses can be made from a variety of materials, but are designed to have the durability of rubber hoses and the kink resistance of vinyl hoses. Most of these hoses will fall somewhere in the middle of rubber and vinyl for durability. These types of hoses will typically not hold their shape when a vehicle passes over it, allowing them to reform their shape quickly after being ran over.
While composite hoses will hold up better than vinyl hoses, they typically will show damage sooner than a premium rubber hose. These hoses will likely be okay after being ran over a couple times, but when done repeatedly they will eventually be damaged to the point of needing to be replaced or repaired.
Stainless Steel/Metal Hoses
Stainless steel or metal hoses are designed to hold up in rugged conditions. These hoses can withstand being ran over by most vehicles without collapsing. Here is a picture of me running over a metal hose that I own with an SUV.
As I mentioned above, running over any hose is going to cause some damage eventually. However, metal hoses will be one of the best types for holding up to the weight of a vehicle. Metal hoses are also great for owners who have pets that like to chew on things.
While these hoses are one of your best options for durability, they also have very low flow rate when compared to standard hoses. Having less flow rate will mean less efficient work. So while metal hoses will hold up pretty well to being ran over, they aren’t ideal for big projects that need a lot of water.
Expandable Hoses
Expandable hoses can be great for a lot of things, but holding up to being ran over is not one of them. These hoses typically have a nylon or cloth outer layer with a latex or plastic tube running through them. This type of design will not hold up very well when being ran over.
Not only will the plastic tube in the middle likely crush, these hoses get cut easily from rocks or gravel. If you have an expandable hose or are looking to buy one, make sure you do not run it over. If you do run it over, you will likely have to repair or replace.
Can you run over Garden Hose Fittings?
As with hoses, fittings shouldn’t be ran over either. With that said, some fittings are designed to stand up to being ran over by vehicles or machinery. These fittings will typically be called “crush resistant” or “crush proof”. I have found most of these do hold up to being ran over by an SUV. I did find a couple that said they were crush resistant and didn’t hold up though. We discuss all the differences between crush resistant hoses and fittings if you want to read more.
Hose fittings are the parts of the hose where the water comes out and where they connect to a water source, such as a spigot. There are times where the fitting can be damaged but the hose will still function as intended. What typically happens is the fitting will get damaged and you can no longer screw a nozzle or another hose on it. To keep this from happening, using a garden hose reel cart keeps the hose stored properly and out of the way.
Fittings have a wide range of durability specifications. Some of these will crush immediately while some can withstand being ran over by heavy equipment. I have tested many hose fittings by running them over with an SUV. Let’s take a look at the different materials used to make hose fittings and how they do when they are ran over.
Brass Fittings
Fittings made from brass are typically very strong and probably will hold up to being ran over. Brass is commonly used on heavy duty hoses. When looking at hoses, you will always want to see if they are advertising them to be crush proof or crush resistant.
I tested several hoses with brass fittings and found that each one passed our crush test (running an SUV over the fitting). These two photos show me running over the fitting and how it looked afterward.
Aluminum Fittings
Aluminum is another common material companies use to make hose fittings with. I found that some aluminum fittings passed our crush test and some did not. As with any fitting, you will want to see if the hose is being advertised as crush resistant or crush proof. Here are a couple photos of me running over an aluminum hose and it having some small damage afterward.
The majority of the aluminum fittings I tested did pass our crush test. So there is a good chance that if a hose fitting is made from aluminum it will hold up to being ran over. Here are a couple photos of me running over an aluminum fitting and how it looked afterward.
Plastic Fittings
Some hoses have plastic fittings. These are typically on lightweight hoses for pools or drinking-water-safe applications. As you can imagine, the vast majority of these fittings do not hold up when ran over. If you have a hose that has plastic fittings, you will want to be very careful around any equipment, even a riding lawnmower.
There are a few really hard plastic fittings that can handle heavy weight though. But any plastic fitting, you will want to be careful. As mentioned above, you really don’t want to be running over hoses or their fittings very often, especially plastic ones. Even the ones designed for heavy stress will eventually wear out.
Tips for Avoiding Hose Damage
Purchase a High-Quality Hose
As I mentioned, the material of the hose and fittings matter a lot when it comes to standing up to the physical abuse of being ran over. If you plan on having a hose in a spot that will be ran over, purchase one that is designed to withstand this type of treatment, such as a premium rubber hose. Not only do you want to buy a heavy duty hose, you will want to make sure the fittings are “crush proof” or “crush resistant”.
Purchase a Hose with Bright Colors
A lot of times hoses get ran over because they are not easily seen, such as laying in a yard. One way to help with this is buying a bright colored hose. Hoses typically come in a variety of colors, so keep that in mind when buying a new hose. You can also spray paint or mark the hose with a bright color to help it stand out.
Purchase a Longer Hose or Hose Reel
There are situations where having a longer hose will allow you to route it around a high-traffic area. If this is the case, just walk off or measure how long you need your hose to be and buy that length. If you already have a hose, you can always just buy an additional hose to connect to the one you have. You can also buy an automatic hose reel that will wind the hose up for you after you are done using it.
Avoid Hard or Sharp Surfaces
The surface that the hose is ran over can change how much damage it will cause. Try to avoid running over your hose on gravel or hard surfaces like asphalt or concrete. Gravel can easily cut your hose while hard surfaces won’t give at all, likely resulting in the hose being crushed. Surfaces like your lawn might allow the hose to sink in a bit and not take on the full weight of the vehicle.