Pest Control Sprayers - How much spray hose do I need?

How much hose do I need for my pest control sprayer or weed control spray rig? This is a question I am often asked by prospects and customers.

I am reminded of the words of Mick Jagger who said, “Too much is never enough”. Certainly he was talking about boring things like sex, drugs and rock and roll, rather than a fascinating topic like spray equipment.

The short answer to the question is that it is much better to have 50 feet too much hose than to be 1’ short. If the hose is too short, you can’t do a thorough job or you have to stop what you are doing and move the vehicle. The cost of the extra hose is insignificant compared to the cost of not being able to do your job properly.

Most manufacturers bundle hose in rolls of 200’, 300’ and sometimes 400’. That is how most distributors want to sell it to you.

To determine how much hose you need, review your route and figure out the distance from where you park your vehicle to the farthest point you need to reach with your spray hose. That is a good starting place. If you don’t have a route yet, look at the average property size in your trade area and determine the longest distance you will likely need to span.

Next, remember that the end of the hose wears out from use and will need to be cut away periodically to prevent leaks. If you start off with exactly the amount of hose you need to reach the farthest point on the route, if you have to cut off 10’ of hose due to wear, your hose is now too short to do your job.

Some other thoughts:

- If buying a long hose, make sure your pump has the pressure needed to push water through the hose.

- If you only have 1 or 2 stops that require a long hose, consider making a jumper hose. This is a length of hose on quick disconnects that is stored separately and only used for the few stops that require a longer hose.

I would appreciate your thoughts & comments.