A Warning about Hoses with Aluminum Fittings

If you have purchased any garden hose with ALUMINUM end fittings/couplers, you should be aware there is a warning (small print) on the BACK of the package label that cautions users to remove the hose from the faucet and any attachments a minimum of 3 times a year! You should remove the couplings from ANY Brass connections as often as you can think of it (even if every time you use it). If you do not, the aluminum WILL FUSE to any brass connection!

This is a result of Galvanic Corrosion, a condition that occurs between two dissimilar metals pressed together (aluminum coupler (hose) to brass fitting (faucet). Aluminum and brass are far apart on the "dissimilar metals" chart and will corrode/fuse quickly. The more water there is present, the faster the corrosion/fusing.

For instance, if you connect it to a brass "ball" valve (a one-into-four splitter, for instance), and you let it stay connected too long, when you eventually use some channel lock pliers to get it off, the male end of the faucet will unscrew from the ball housing, the whole thing will pop off, and the male faucet end will be stuck in the aluminum female coupler.

Even worse, if connected to a house hose bib, this fusing will cause a costly repair as the entire faucet body will have to be removed and a new one installed.

I discovered this problem myself by leaving an aluminum hose attached to a hose bib that had a one-into-four splitter for a couple of months. When I went to remove the hose, I had to use channel-lock pliers to get it off. As it came off, I didn't notice it was turning the brass male faucet end, not the aluminum female coupler. Suddenly, the whole thing popped off and water was shooting everywhere. Fortunately, turning off the main faucet saved the day. I shudder to think of what I would have had to do if it had been on the main valve (running to the house supply, turning off the water main, unsoldering the faucet body, getting a new one, soldering the new one in place, turning on the main again). Think about all of that water going everywhere, digging a big hole in the ground!

I would recommend wrapping 2-4 turns of Teflon tape around the male ends of any connection to help reduce fusing of the connection. Even better, remove the connection to both faucet and whatever you have at the other end after each use.

If you have recently purchased one of these hoses, return it (if you can) and get one with BRASS fittings. If you haven't purchased one, DON'T. If you have one beyond the return period, just keep it removed after use.

I'm trying to post to as many sources/forums as I can, but please forward this everywhere you can to spread the word about these dangerous hoses.