How to Connect a Hose to a Tap: HouseWarm

Last updated on October 3rd, 2024

Connecting a hose to a kitchen tap can be very frustrating but sometimes needed if you don’t have an outside tap. Luckily most modern kitchen mixer taps have threads on the end which can be used for screwing hose connectors onto.

I have been a full-time plumber for over a decade and I fit and fix taps regularly. Here I”ll show you how to connect hoses to kitchen and garden taps properly.

Kitchen Tap

The kitchen sink is usually the closest to the garden so if you don’t have an outside tap and want to use a hose, most people will use the kitchen tap. The best way to connect a hose to a kitchen tap is to screw on a hose connector.

On most modern kitchen taps you can:

1. Unscrew the end off the tap
2. Screw a hose connector onto the threads
3. Connect the hose by pushing it on
4. Turn the tap on

Video Guide

If you don’t have a removable end with threads on your tap, you can use a universal tap adaptor.

Connecting a Pressure Washer

To connect a pressure washer to a kitchen tap you need to use a hose. You can follow the instructions above to connect a hose to a kitchen tap then connect the other end to the pressure washer using the quick-release connector.

Outside Tap

Attaching a hose to an outside tap can be done by using a plastic or a brass hose connector on the tap. Most outdoor taps have a 3/4″ thread on the end for screwing on different connectors.

Video Guide

Quick Release Hose Connectors

The most common type of hose connectors push together and disconnect very easily. They are cheap to buy and very easy to fit. Once you have a connector on the hose you can push it onto adaptors and it will click into place.

How to attach hose to outside tap with a quick-release connector:

1. Screw the hose connecter onto the tap threads with your hand
2. Make sure you have a suitable hose connector on the hose
3. Push the hose onto the tap until it clicks

Old Style Hose Connectors

The old-style hose connectors still come on new outside taps for some reason. I usually throw them away and fit a quick-release hose connector when I fit an outside tap, and I recommend doing that but you don’t have to.

How to attach a hose to an old hose connector:

1. Fit a hose clamp onto the hose loosely
2. Force the hose pipe onto the tap hose connector
3. Tighten the hose clamp onto the hose
4. Turn the tap on
5. Test for leaks
6. Tighten the hose clamp more if there are any leaks

Attaching Hose Fittings

Attaching garden hose fittings is straightforward but getting them tight is key to them not leaking.

To attach a hose fitting to a hose you need to:

1. Remove the nut off the hose fitting
2. Slide the nut over the hose
3. Push the hose into the fitting as far as possible
4. Slide the nut onto the fitting and tighten it as much as possible

Attaching a Hose to Another Hose

Attaching two hoses might be needed to reach your garden hose from the kitchen sink at the back of the house to wash the car on the front drive. To attach a hose to another hose, you will need a double hose connector and fit it to the two hoses the same way as the hose fitting above.

Attaching a Spray Gun to Hose

The best garden hose spray guns have a quick-release connection on them. To attach it to a hose you need to make sure the hose has a quick-release connector on it.

Summary

Connecting a hose to a tap is easy most of the time. You can pick up tap hose connectors and adaptors cheaply and you should buy yourself a decent hose connector kit.

There are other ways to connect a hose to a tap without an adaptor, like with a bottle or balloon, but this will give you next to no pressure and lots of leaking as you have to tape the connections.

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below, and I’ll do my best to help. If you found this post helpful, please consider sharing it.

FAQs

Can you connect a hose to a normal tap?

Yes, you can connect a hose to a normal tap. You can unscrew the end off most modern taps and screw on a tap hose connector. If you don’t have one of these taps, you can get a universal tap connector to fit pretty much any tap.

Are hose fittings universal?

No, hose fittings are not universal or all the same size. Most quick-connect fittings will fit each other but not all of them. Most hose fittings will fit onto standard-sized garden hoses so you can extend the hose or connect it to a tap.

How do you connect a hose to a water pipe?

To connect a hose to a water pipe you will need to turn the water supply off and cut the pipe to add a tee-piece pipe fitting.

You will need to fit a washing machine valve to the pipe by either using a washing machine valve tee, or a normal tee with a piece of pipe and a standard washing machine valve on the end. Then you can screw a hose connector onto the washing machine valve.