Garden Hose Flow Rate Explained

garden hose flow rate

Do you love spending more time with the plants in your garden than the screens in your room? Are you sure that your green friends get enough water every day? You can only determine the right amount of water by knowing the garden hose flow rate.

An appropriate garden hose is a prime requirement for you to evenly distribute water throughout your garden. This article will provide everything you need to about a garden hose to suit your needs.

What is a Garden Hose and its Flow Rate?

It is a long rubber (or metal) tube that is flexible and is used to carry water. A hose may have attachments like sprinklers for even diffusion of water throughout an area.

The flow rate of a garden hose is the amount of water that it carries in one minute. The common unit to measure this is GPM (gallons per minute).

What is the Ideal Garden Hose Flow Rate ?

The flow rate of a garden hose may vary according to the length, diameter, water pressure, etc. The average flow rate of your garden hose should be around 13-14 gallons per meter.

You can calculate the flow rate of a garden hose according to its diameter and length. If done manually, this calculation may seem tricky. You can choose an online calculator to determine the flow rate of a garden hose within minutes.

Here are some pre-calculated flow rates of garden hoses according to their length, diameter, and pressure. Note that the pressure of water is measured by PSI (pounds per square inch).

Instead of a garden hose flow rate calculator, you can use this flow chart:

Garden Hose Diameter (inches)Water Pressure (PSI)Garden Hose Length (feet)Flow Rate of Garden Hose (GPM)1/2401005.95/84010010.61/250100123/45012517.15/86012518.9

Once you know the flow rate of a garden hose in terms of GPM, you can calculate the hourly rate.

What are the Factors that Affect the Garden hose flow rate ?

Hose Diameter: The wider the hose, the higher the flow rate of a garden hose. Narrower hoses allow less amount of water to pass through them, resulting in a lower flow rate.

The most common diameter measurements of a garden hose are 1/2, 3/4, and 5/8. These dimensions are ideal for domestic as well as commercial use.

Hose Length: Are you planning to buy a longer garden hose than your current one? You must note that its flow rate will be lower than a shorter garden hose. The same amount of water with the same pressure will take more time to pass in a longer tube. It is obvious, isn’t it?

The Pressure of Water: The speed at which water flows is measured by pounds per square inch. Most of the households have a PSI rate of 40 to 60 units. The flow rate of a garden hose greatly depends on the pressure of the water supply. If you have a high PSI, your flow rate will be more.

Final Words

It is your responsibility to supply enough water to your plants, but you must not water them more than required. On the other hand, supplying less water may result in dry plants.

Knowing the flow rate of a garden hose can help you solve this dilemma. It will let you make the most of your time while effectively watering your garden!

Frequently asked questions

1. How do I increase water flow in my garden hose?

You have three options : The most important is the connection between the hose and water source. Yuu can buy a hose with a better flow rate ( wider ). Inspect the full lenght of the hose for any mechanical problems, kinks or damage that might limit the flow.

2. Do you lose pressure with a longer hose?

Absolutely. The pressure decreases with lenght. The water that comes out at the end of the hose will be with less pressure if the hose is long. 50 to 100 feet hoes should not see a big pressure drop.

3. How much psi can a garden hose handle?

Between 200 and 500 psi. Depends on the hose quality and material. You should always purchase high quality hoses that can handle bigger pressure. It’s different for each brand and should be listed as “burst pressure rating”. Especially if you want to go lightweight, choosing the best lightweight garden hoses is very important.