Skip The Pricey Reel: Keep Your Hose Stored Away With A Heavy-Duty Lowe's Find

Have you ever run over your garden hose with the lawn mower? If so, then you know at least one good reason not to leave it out in the yard, and this isn't the only one. Here are a few more: It can become a tripping hazard, be severely degraded by sun exposure, and kill the grass upon which it's lying. Last but not least, the water in it can freeze in cold temperatures, and since water expands when frozen, the hose can burst. 

Instead of potentially destroying your hose or getting injured by leaving it out, here's an easy alternative. The Liberty Garden hose hanger is a heavy-duty steel hanger available at Lowe's for $27.46 — a lot less than most hose reels, which can range up to (and over) $100. It's strong enough to hold all types of garden hoses, even a heavy rubber one. It's big enough to hold 125 feet of ⅝-inch rubber garden hose, which is a lot of hose. Of course, this hanger isn't quite as convenient as a portable hose reel, and it isn't as decorative as a DIY hose hanger, but it's easy to mount and definitely serviceable. All of the current reviews concur that it's a sturdy holder. 

You don't have to mount this hanger by the faucet; you can hang the hanger on any vertical surface that's strong enough to hold it. You can also put it in the garage to keep the hose out of the way, or in the basement to keep the hose neatly stowed during winter.  

You can mount the Liberty Garden hose hanger on screws drilled into siding, studs, or deck posts. As a couple of reviews noted, this holder doesn't come with screws included. But its four predrilled holes are large enough for beefy fasteners like lag screws — which are one of the strongest types of screws, and pretty much guaranteed to support the weight of a heavy hose. 

When you mount the hanger outside near the faucet, it's a very good idea to turn off the water and remove the nozzle before you hang the hose. That way, water will drain when you wind the hose around the hanger (aim for 18- to 24-inch loops). That makes the hose lighter and easier to handle, and it gets rid of any water that could potentially turn to ice in a sudden freeze. Avoid kinks as you loop the hose, because they are one of the primary causes of premature hose failure. 

If you mount the hanger in the basement or garage, you'll probably want to empty the hose before bringing it inside. To do this, turn off the water, unscrew the hose from the faucet, and remove the nozzle. Starting at one end, rest the hose on your shoulder and walk along its length to drain water from the other end. If you do this outside, you won't have to worry about bringing (and messing) water indoors.