What are Hose Fittings?

Various industries require the use of hoses of different types. Sometimes, two hoses have to be connected to form a longer product. In such cases, hose fittings can help, as they can connect two or more hoses. In fact, many fittings can even tether a few different kinds of hoses together. They can be either temporary or permanent, and there are several types available.

The majority of hose fittings made for a garden hose consist of plastic. This is because they are often lightweight and do not have to withstand much pressure in most cases. Both sprinklers and irrigation systems in yards might require two or more hoses to be connected in order to reach the area to be watered. Fortunately, such fittings are quite common and usually can be purchased for a few U.S. dollars (USD).

Plastic hose fittings can be used on products other than garden hoses and sprinklers, as well. For example, regular and wet-dry vacuums often include a plastic hose meant to fit into small spaces. Sometimes the included hose is not long enough, so an additional one can be purchased. A hose fitting would be appropriate to lengthen the reach of the hose in such cases.

Some uses of hoses require particularly strong fittings. Brass is just one material that is usually good for hoses that need to withstand a lot of pressure. As a bonus, brass typically resists rust well, so brass fittings can be used whether the hose holds liquids or other substances. In fact, brass fittings usually can be found connecting two or more fire hoses together. They typically cost slightly more than plastic fittings.

Industrial hoses typically must stand up to heavy-duty use, with sometimes harmful chemicals coursing through the product at high pressure. Such hoses might dispense or suction up steam, oil, and gasoline, or even blast sand. For such duties, it is often recommended that stainless steel hose fittings be used. Not only can they handle various substances blasting through the hose at high speed, but they usually can also prevent the connected hoses from breaking apart. Such an issue could be dangerous, which is why most workers dealing with industrial hoses select stainless steel to hold two or more together.

While most hose fittings can be found at local hardware stores, it is also possible to have custom fittings made. Some major companies that use unique hoses often turn to this option. If non-custom fittings are preferred and several are purchased at one time, some manufacturers offer a bulk discount.