If temperatures in your area are forecast to reach 32°F (0°C) or below, it’s time to winterize your outdoor watering equipment.
Water left inside a hose reel, garden hose, spray nozzle, splitter, or other watering tool can freeze and expand, potentially damaging the components around it. Simply disconnecting your hose or moving equipment into an unheated garage or shed may not be enough.
Fortunately, winterizing your ELEY equipment is straightforward. The goal is simple: Get the water out before it freezes.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to properly drain and protect your hose reel and garden hose, valves, and other watering tools before freezing temperatures arrive.
How to Winterize Your ELEY Hose Reel and Garden Hose
Follow these 7 steps to gravity drain your ELEY hose and hose reel. For additional protection, you can also move the drained reel into a heated indoor location when practical.
Gravity Drain Your Hose Reel in 7 Simple Steps
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Turn off the water, release the pressure, and remove attachments.
Turn off the outdoor faucet, then open your spray nozzle or other watering attachment on the main hose to release the remaining water pressure. Remove any attachments from the hose. -
Disconnect the inlet hose and release the reel brake.
Disconnect the inlet hose from the faucet and move the cam-lever brake to the OFF position. -
Fully unwind the garden hose.
Extend it across a flat surface or downhill from the reel. Avoid uphill routing and straighten any kinks. -
Slowly rewind the hose while it drains.
Allow the remaining water to flow freely from the end of the hose as you rewind. -
Position the swivel upward and re-engage the brake.
As the hose is almost fully rewound, position the bent or curved portion of the swivel upward at approximately the 12 o’clock position to help prevent water from pooling there. Once fully rewound, re-engage the cam-lever brake. -
For extra protection, clear remaining water from the swivel.
ELEY recommends blowing through the disconnected inlet hose to help push any remaining water out of the brass swivel. This isn’t required for gravity draining, but it’s an additional precaution before freezing weather or winter storage. -
Prepare the reel for storage.
Connect the inlet hose fitting to the main garden hose fitting for neat storage and to help keep insects and other small critters from entering the hose reel system.
Watch: How to Winterize Your ELEY Hose Reel
Watch our step-by-step demonstration of how to properly gravity drain your ELEY hose and hose reel before freezing temperatures arrive.
For Additional Protection: Move Your Reel Into Heated Storage
After the hose and reel have been drained, moving the reel into a heated indoor location provides another layer of protection during freezing weather.
Portable free-standing, 2-wheel, and 4-wheel reels can simply be moved indoors. Wall- and post-mounted reels can also be removed from their mounting location for winter storage.
Remember: An unheated garage or shed can still fall below freezing. If you aren’t certain the storage area will remain above freezing, proper draining is still essential.
Pay Special Attention to the Hose Reel Swivel
The brass swivel is one of the most important parts of your hose reel to protect during freezing weather because water can remain trapped inside the swivel assembly.
If that trapped water freezes and expands, it can crack or separate components within the swivel. When the water supply is turned back on, that damage may show up as a leak.
That’s why Steps 5 and 6 of the gravity-draining process are particularly important to help prevent damage from trapped water there.
How to Winterize Your ELEY #1120 Brass Garden Hose Spray Nozzle
Water can remain inside the Brass Garden Hose Spray Nozzle even after it’s disconnected from the hose. Draining it takes only a few seconds:
- Disconnect the nozzle from the garden hose.
- Press the lever upward to open the ball valve.
- Allow the trapped water to drain completely.
- Store the nozzle in a dry or protected location whenever possible.
IMPORTANT: Disconnecting the nozzle alone may not remove all of the water. Opening the ball valve allows trapped water to escape.
How to Winterize Your ELEY 2-Way Splitter / Y-Valve
Simply opening the splitter’s valves is not enough to fully drain it. Water can remain trapped above the bottom brass cap.
Before freezing temperatures arrive:
- Remove any hoses or attachments from the Y-valve ports.
- Unscrew and remove the bottom brass cap.
- Push both valves into the open position.
- Allow the trapped water to drain completely.
- Leave the bottom brass cap off during freezing conditions and store it somewhere safe and dry.
Why leave the cap off? If your outdoor faucet develops even a small drip, leaving the bottom port open gives that water somewhere to drain instead of allowing it to collect above the cap and potentially freeze.
If you’re certain the faucet doesn’t leak or drip, the cap can technically be reinstalled after everything has drained. However, ELEY recommends leaving it off during freezing conditions as an extra precaution.
Don’t Forget Your Other Watering Tools
The same rule applies to your other nozzles, valves, quick connects, sprinklers, and watering attachments:
If water flows through it, make sure the water can get out of it.
Disconnect and drain watering tools before freezing temperatures arrive. When practical, store smaller tools in a dry, protected location.
Optional Winter Protection
After your hose and reel have been properly drained, an ELEY Garden Hose Reel Cover can provide additional protection from winter weather, moisture, debris, and UV exposure.
Remember: A hose reel cover does not make a water-filled reel freeze-proof. Proper draining comes first.
Think Your Equipment May Already Have Freeze Damage?
If your ELEY hose reel or watering tools were exposed to freezing temperatures and you notice leaking, cracking, or separated components, visit our Freeze Damage Guide for examples and next steps.
Freeze Damage Guide — Signs, Causes & What to Do Next
Freeze-related damage is not covered under ELEY’s warranty, which is one reason proper winterization is so important.
Get the Water Out Before It Freezes
When 32°F or below is in the forecast, don’t wait!
Drain your hose, reel, and watering tools.
A few minutes of preparation can help protect your ELEY equipment and keep it ready for the next watering season.
