We’ve just fitted three new outdoor faucets on our outbuildings, so the watering should be easier from now on. But will our existing hoses be easy to fit onto the new taps?
Most outdoor faucets have universal external threads of either 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch, so with the correct size hose fitting from your local hardware store you can easily just screw on your hose to attach it. You can also attach your garden hose to a kitchen or bathroom faucet with a special adapter.
Let’s explore this subject in greater detail, and discover more about universal spigot sizes and hose fittings – and exactly how to attach your hose to a kitchen or bathroom tap…
How Do I Attach a Garden Hose to an Existing Outside Tap?
In most cases, you can attach a garden hose to your existing outside tap by just screwing it on. The majority of outdoor faucets (taps) have universal external threads that let you attach most standard water hoses.
So, if you buy a new water hose from your local retailer or hardware store, you shouldn’t have any trouble attaching it to most outdoor taps.
Most garden hoses have opposite threading on each end. One end of the hose has a coupling with internal threads that lets you screw it onto an outdoor tap. The other end has external threading — usually made from brass or copper — allowing you to attach accessories like spray nozzles and sprinkler heads.
When you attach the garden hose coupling to the outside tap, a piece of thin rubber inside the coupling secures the hose when you turn the water on. Additionally, the material the hose is made from should be strong enough to handle the water flow.
What’s The Standard Outdoor Faucet Size?
Most outdoor faucets (also known as hose bibs) have an exterior threaded outlet that lets you attach water hoses or other water backflow devices. Most outdoor hose bibs come in two widths, 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch.
Outside faucets are usually located on the side of your house, but the exterior faucets of some older properties stick out of the ground.
The amount of water pressure you can expect depends on the size of the pipes connected to the faucet. Most exterior faucets match the size of your home’s interior pipes — which are usually 1/2 to 3/4-inch. If you have 3/4-inch pipes in your home’s interior, you’ll have stronger water pressure coming from your exterior hose bib through your garden hose (if your hose bib is 3/4-inch).
If you’re having problems with your water pressure, find a tap that’s the same size opening as your garden hose or other attachments. Also, you can buy an adapter for your tap to fit your hoses.
For example, if you have a 3/4-inch tap but your garden hoses and sprinklers 1/2-inch connections, you can purchase an adapter that screws onto your tap to reduce it to 1/2-inch.
Are Garden Hose Fittings Universal?
Garden hose fittings come in different sizes, but as we’ve previously discussed, the most common sizes have 1/2 to 3/4-inch openings. Sizes can range from 3/8″ to 5/8″, so there are several options to ensure your water hose and tap fit together.
In addition to the various fitting sizes, several types of garden hoses are available for specific jobs. Many people use basic rubber hoses to water their yards and outdoor plants. Most of these hoses are 25 to 100 feet long, and the tube is normally 1/2-inch wide. These hoses easily bend in hot and cold weather, so they’re not recommended for commercial or industrial uses.
Flat hoses are available if you’re looking for easy storage. If you want to avoid the hassle of winding up your water hose every time you use it, flat hoses are a great choice. Most of them come with male and female fittings, so it’s easy to connect them to different size taps and sprayers.
Soaker hoses are ideal if you don’t want to stand around while you’re watering your yard or garden. These hoses have tiny holes along the length of the hose, so when you turn the water on, the water will slowly seep out of the holes and soak deep into the ground. The slow water pressure prevents you from using more water than you need to hydrate your plants or grass.
In recent years, expandable hoses have become popular among homeowners. Lightweight and easy to move around, expandable hoses stretch out to the size of normal hoses when the water starts flowing. Once you turn off the water, the hose returns to its original size. These hoses offer several different fitting sizes, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding the right connection for your outdoor hose bib.
How Do You Attach a Hose to a Tap Without an Adaptor?
If your hose and the tap are the same size, you don’t need an adapter, and you can just attach the hose to the tap. If a tap doesn’t have an adapter, you need to make sure your garden hose fittings are the same size as the tap.
To do this, you’ll need to determine the inside dimension of the tap and the hose fittings. Here’s a quick chart to help you out:
- Tap Pipe Size- 1/2″ Diameter Measurement .840″
- Tap Pipe Size- 3/4″ Diameter Measurement 1.050″
- Tap Pipe Size- 1″ Diameter Measurement 1.315″
- Tap Pipe Size- 1-1/4″ Diameter Measurement 1.660″
- Tap Pipe Size- 1-1/2″ Diameter Measurement 1.900″
Can You Attach a Garden Hose to a Kitchen Faucet?
With a few simple twists and turns, you can attach a garden hose to a kitchen faucet. The first item you’ll need is an adapter to fit onto your kitchen faucet. The adapter converts your kitchen faucet into the male thread you’ll need to connect your garden hose fitting.
Next, you’ll need to unscrew the tip of your faucet. Remove the tip carefully so you don’t drop the components inside. If you need to, put a towel down inside your sink to stop pieces from falling into your drain.
Once you’ve removed the tip, simply screw the female end (the end of the adapter with the threads housed inside) of the adapter into the kitchen faucet (form a tight seal without overtightening the adapter). Now, you should be able to attach your garden hose to your kitchen faucet.
Before you attach your hose to the adapter, make sure the small rubber gasket inside the garden hose fitting is still in place. If it’s not in place, the hose won’t make a secure connection to the adaptor, and you’ll have a lot of water to clean up.
Also, if a standard adapter doesn’t work, you can try a snap adapter. This adapter has two pieces — one piece to connect to the tip of your faucet and one piece to connect to your garden hose fitting.
Can You Attach a Garden Hose to a Bathroom Faucet?
As with a kitchen faucet, you can attach a garden hose to a bathroom faucet. Again, you’ll need the same adapter you used to attach your hose to the faucet in your kitchen. A bathroom faucet has most of the same components as your kitchen faucet.
The only difference might be the tip of your bathroom faucet might be smaller than the kitchen, so you’ll need to make sure you have the correct size adapter to fit the tip of your bathroom faucet. Keep in mind the tip may not be screwed in very tight, and you can probably use the force of your hand to get it unscrewed.
If the tips on your kitchen faucet or bathroom faucet are stuck, there are some tricks you can use to remove them safely. You can gently unscrew the tips with a pair of pliers, but don’t apply too much force. Many faucet tips can break easily when you use pliers. If you’re afraid of breaking them, try using a rubber strap wrench or invest in a can of WD-40.
Conclusion
With so much to do in the yard, it’s good to know that at least one job is simple! Fixing a hose to an outside faucet is an easy task that should take no longer than a few seconds with the right adaptors.
It’s also good to know you can attach your garden hose to a kitchen or bathroom faucet if you don’t have an outdoor spigot – it may take a little longer but there is nothing too daunting about doing this either.
So it looks like all that’s left to say here is ‘happy watering!’. 🙂
