How to Get a Frozen Hose Off an Exterior

Thaw out a frozen hose before you attempt to remove it.

It's easy to forget about your garden hose during winter. The plants don't need watering when they're dormant and you've been spending less and less time out of doors. But now that you finally need your hose, it's frozen solid to your home's exterior right where you left it. To remove the hose, you'll have to thaw it first. Trying to remove it in its frozen condition may damage the hose or the pipe it’s connected to, or even damage your home's exterior.

Things You'll Need

• Hair dryer
• Towel
• Heating blanket

Instructions

1. Turn the spigot one quarter-turn to the left to open the water supply slightly. As you thaw the garden hose, the flowing water will help the hose thaw.

2. Remove any sprayers connected to the end of the hose. If a sprayer is frozen in place, heat the connection point with a hair dryer until it loosens enough to allow you to unscrew the attachment.

3. Thaw the hose. To get the job done, you can wrap a heating pad or a towel soaked in hot water over the wrapped hose. Or thaw the hose section by section with an electric hair dryer.

4. Stop heating when water begins dripping freely out of the hose, signaling that it is thawed out, or when the hose is pliable enough to bend freely.

5. Unscrew the hose from the spigot.

6. Turn the spigot off.

Tips & Warnings

• To prevent the hose from freezing again, store it indoors when it is not in use.

References

• American Red Cross: Preventing and Thawing Frozen Pipes
• Old House Web: Thawing Frozen Pipes