[richard groves]

I find it useful to use street "furniture", (lampposts Etc) as aids against snagging on car tyres and the like. Just having a quick look at the route your hose is going to lay and working out how to avoid obvious hazards. Lamposts and street signs are usually rounded and the hose will travel around them far easier than say the brick corner of a house. It also saves damage to your hose.

I do the same, although its worth mentioning wherever there is a tree, lamp post etc. expect it to have been used for a pooches toilet stop,  microfiber towel soaked in disinfectant is good for cleaning the hose as you wind it back in.
Pull hose out to furthest window and when done walk hose end back to van with you giving some thought to any obstacles on way and laying it out accordingly should keep tangles and snagging to a minimum.

[robbo333]

My hose reel is fixed and I work from the back of the van.  Parking in exactly the right spot really helps to get a clear run for your hose.  Where I can,  I reverse onto custys drive.  Try and work out how to run your hose smoothly from your van, especially if it is coming out at right angles to  your van.  Most of all,  the more annoyed you get,  the worse it will be. You'll be surprised how tough hose can be and if you pull in anger you'll pull half a fence down!   

[Smurf]

Sounds like you are talking from experience bud...did the other half of the fence stay up? 

[Spruce]

Sounds like you are talking from experience bud...did the other half of the fence stay up? 

 

[Cookie]

I occasionally take out one of those slip and slide units if I need to pull the hose around an object such as a car tyre, but I'm always paranoid someone gets in the car an drives off when I'm around the back out of view and destroys it.

Hi Spruce,

What are these slide & slip units? Sounds like they could be useful.

Thanks,  James

[Spruce]

I occasionally take out one of those slip and slide units if I need to pull the hose around an object such as a car tyre, but I'm always paranoid someone gets in the car an drives off when I'm around the back out of view and destroys it.

Hi Spruce,

What are these slide & slip units? Sounds like they could be useful.

Thanks,  James

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-PACK-OF-3-SLIP-SLIDES-FOR-WINDOW-CLEANING-OR-GARDEN-HOSEPIPE-GUIDE-/330913776799

I occasionally use mine around car tyres and gate posts.  You can drag a hose around 2 corners (walls of a house) using 2 of them but 3 , no. Mostly, I ever only use 1.

They aren't the answer to everything. The problem is that they mean another trip back to the van and then time to set them up.  Sometimes the hose drags them off from around the obstacle you wanted to protect the hose from. And they are easily left behind when packing away.

[Bungle]

Spruce, I have to admire that a very logical approach, but that's just not for me, all that wasted time 😬

I changed from  8mm bore to 6mm with an 11mm outside diameter and found snagging reduced dramatically with the smaller diameter hose.

Where there are obstacles particularly near the van I unreel the length required just off the back so it's on the road then walk to the furthest point this way rarely seems to snag unlike pulling off the reel as you go.
Same applies for corners I pull off reel in a straight line until I get to the corner then pull off the rest required so I have a pile of hose at the corner then walk to the furthest point.

Hose only seems to get tangled on those jobs where you travel back and forth several times

Darran

Same as me. WTF are you doing reeling 100m out every time Spruce? Total waste of time.

[Cookie]

I occasionally take out one of those slip and slide units if I need to pull the hose around an object such as a car tyre, but I'm always paranoid someone gets in the car an drives off when I'm around the back out of view and destroys it.

Hi Spruce,

What are these slide & slip units? Sounds like they could be useful.

Thanks,  James

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-PACK-OF-3-SLIP-SLIDES-FOR-WINDOW-CLEANING-OR-GARDEN-HOSEPIPE-GUIDE-/330913776799

I occasionally use mine around car tyres and gate posts.  You can drag a hose around 2 corners (walls of a house) using 2 of them but 3 , no. Mostly, I ever only use 1.

They aren't the answer to everything. The problem is that they mean another trip back to the van and then time to set them up.  Sometimes the hose drags them off from around the obstacle you wanted to protect the hose from. And they are easily left behind when packing away.

Thanks Spruce. Looking at this eBay advert you can even use these to negotiate around dog poo!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-PACK-OF-3-SLIP-SLIDES-FOR-WINDOW-CLEANING-Hose-Pipe-Guides-/321628341642?hash=item4ae28b058a

[Smurf]

Why I mentioned not running a hose across a road as I've heard from others what can happen if you do..

Main reason is obvious as It’s a hazard for peddle cyclists as I know of at least one incident when a chap fell off his bike because his front wheel slipped away on the hose. Same goes for mopeds, scoters, motorbikes etc. The funniest one was a cleaner working on a front had his slx pole stood up leaning on something then it suddenly  shot off and was being dragged down the road by a passing car as his hose got snagged underneath it… Run forest run…Luckily the driver knew something was up when he seen the chap running after him shouting something like “come back with me pole” 

I’m also aware disgruntled drivers can & do deliberately park their vehicles on/over a wfp hose too.

[Spruce]

I occasionally take out one of those slip and slide units if I need to pull the hose around an object such as a car tyre, but I'm always paranoid someone gets in the car an drives off when I'm around the back out of view and destroys it.

Hi Spruce,

What are these slide & slip units? Sounds like they could be useful.

Thanks,  James

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-PACK-OF-3-SLIP-SLIDES-FOR-WINDOW-CLEANING-OR-GARDEN-HOSEPIPE-GUIDE-/330913776799

I occasionally use mine around car tyres and gate posts.  You can drag a hose around 2 corners (walls of a house) using 2 of them but 3 , no. Mostly, I ever only use 1.

They aren't the answer to everything. The problem is that they mean another trip back to the van and then time to set them up.  Sometimes the hose drags them off from around the obstacle you wanted to protect the hose from. And they are easily left behind when packing away.

Thanks Spruce. Looking at this eBay advert you can even use these to negotiate around dog poo!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-PACK-OF-3-SLIP-SLIDES-FOR-WINDOW-CLEANING-Hose-Pipe-Guides-/321628341642?hash=item4ae28b058a

The idea is that you use a metal rod pushed into the ground, similar to a tent peg and that secures the slip 'n' slide in position. Don't count on it working. I've long since lost the rods.

[Spruce]

Spruce, I have to admire that a very logical approach, but that's just not for me, all that wasted time 😬

I changed from  8mm bore to 6mm with an 11mm outside diameter and found snagging reduced dramatically with the smaller diameter hose.

Where there are obstacles particularly near the van I unreel the length required just off the back so it's on the road then walk to the furthest point this way rarely seems to snag unlike pulling off the reel as you go.
Same applies for corners I pull off reel in a straight line until I get to the corner then pull off the rest required so I have a pile of hose at the corner then walk to the furthest point.

Hose only seems to get tangled on those jobs where you travel back and forth several times

Darran

Same as me. WTF are you doing reeling 100m out every time Spruce? Total waste of time.

By walking the hose reel from the furthest starting point back to the van, I'm only reeling out the exact amount of hose I need.

There is only one commercial job I do that uses the full 100 meters of hose. The building is in the shape of a 'U'. By parking in one corner I need to get the hose around 3 corners of 4 sides. That section takes 100 meters of hose, so the easiest and quickest way is to tie off the hose at the furthest point and walk the hose reel back to the van laying down the hose as I go.
Over the years I have tried all sorts of ways, but this is by far the best way of managing hoses for me.