How to Spot the Signs of a Failing Hose Before it Causes Downtime During Harvest Season

Rachel Stevens

October 20, 2025

How to Spot the Signs of a Failing Hose Before it Causes Downtime During Harvest Season

Every year as Autumn rolls around, farmers across the UK begin their annual prep for the yearly harvest. It’s a key time that represents most of a farmer’s annual income, along with laying the foundations for the next year's potential bounty.

Hydraulic agricultural hoses play an essential role throughout the year, but they prove vitally important at harvest time: being utilised in various ways from helping power machinery, to being involved in the irrigation process.

If one of your agricultural hoses suffers during the critical part of the year, it can cause downtime for the farm with serious repercussions. In this guide, we’ll take you through some of the key signs of failure to help make sure your hoses are in tip-top condition before harvest season. Keep reading to find out more…

The importance of harvest season

Harvest season takes place in the autumn months (September through November), though it can start earlier and finish later. Traditionally, this was a time when the community would band together and work to gather crops and seed that would last them for the forthcoming winter and the new year.

While it is still fundamentally a time of gathering crops and seed for the future, modern technology has helped farmers become more efficient and work at larger scales than ever before. The harvest is the culmination of a farmer's work from the preceding year, and is the time that most of their annual income materialises. This period can make or break a farm’s prosperity, not only for this year, but also the next if there are any issues.

Despite a farmer not having control of all the factors that contribute to a good harvest, namely the elements, one thing they can do is ensure that all the vital equipment is in the prime condition ready to tackle the season ahead.

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How are hoses used during harvest season

Over the course of the year, hydraulic hoses are used for various tasks on the farm. From feeding livestock, to powering the machinery, hydraulic hoses are utilised for their power and versatility, as well as their precision.

Due to their strong and robust design containing multiple layers, these agricultural hoses prove reliable and durable. However, you should remain vigilant for signs of faults or damage, so that any issues can be prevented from festering, leading to potentially further repercussions for the farm.

The various machine types that utilise hydraulic hoses on a farm include:

Tractors
Harvesters
Sprayers
Irrigation systems

Each piece of equipment plays an important role in harvest preparation, particularly irrigation systems. These ensure that any crops are in their absolute best condition before being harvested, especially if there have been any number of dry spells in the time leading up to harvesting.

Signs of hose failure

Agricultural hoses will take a beating throughout the year due to their importance in any and all things on a farm. They will be exposed to dirt, debris, moisture, UV rays, chemicals, and mechanical abrasion, all of which can lead to deterioration both inside and outside of the farm hose.

So, with all of this in mind, what are the important signs of failure you need to look out for?

There are three main signs of damage to thoroughly check for to ensure you can prevent serious downtime during your harvest. These are:

Scratches and dents.
Leaks at connection points.
Bulging.

To help identify and counteract potential issues caused by damage, you should be conducting daily visual checks that include:

A visual review for leaks, cracks, and bulges.
Regular checks that connection points and fittings are tightened correctly.
Through cleaning, including a wipe down of dirt and dust build up.

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Scratches and dents

If your harvesting equipment sits idle for a year waiting for the next season to come around, it’s very likely that dust and dirt will gather along your agricultural pipes and hoses. While it may seem harmless, that dirt and debris can cause small scratches and dents to your equipment.

Initially small and relatively insignificant, if this is untreated, it can lead to more substantial damage. Minor scratches can turn into deeper cuts, causing the structural integrity to deteriorate – and eventually the hose can cease to work as intended.

The best agricultural hoses are constructed with three layers. Each of these work together to ensure that hydraulic fluid or other materials running through the hose travels as efficiently as possible, with each layer serving a key purpose.

The inner tube is typically made of a synthetic rubber, and is the part which comes into direct contact with the material (such as hydraulic fluid).
A reinforcement layer of steel wire provides strength and resistance to bursting, to improve the longevity and functionality of the hose.
An outer cover of durable rubber helps to protect the inner layers from abrasion and environmental damage. This is vital on farmland, where there are a lot of external factors that can damage a hose.

The role of the outer cover on a farm hose is protection. Damage to this outer layer, caused by dust, poor maintenance, or abrasion, can lead to the internal layers becoming exposed. From there, the damage can become significantly greater.

While a scratch may seem insignificant at first, it has the potential to be far more. Proper cleaning, maintenance, and inspection is the best way to ensure that your harvest equipment stays in peak condition before you need it.

Top tip: we recommend servicing and inspecting your equipment well before time becomes an extenuating factor. Identifying issues before harvest season means you have the capacity to repair and replace hoses where necessary.

Leaks at connection points

Damaged O-rings, improper installation, or contamination can all lead to leaky hoses at inopportune times.

Without strong and proper connection points, leaks will occur. This can minimise an agricultural hose’s effectiveness and efficiency, especially in a hydraulic system where the integrity of connection points is needed to properly transport hydraulic fluid. Some ways this connection can deteriorate are via:

Over or undertightened connection points.
Damage to the seal within the connection.
Worn out washers inside the hoses.
Damage to the hose close to the connection point.
A damaged fitting.

The key element in a strong connection point is the seal. All of the issues mentioned above have the ability to misalign the seal or affect its integrity, which is how a leak can start. This failure in turn can depressurise the hose and cause the fluid to work at a sub-optimal rate, impacting the overall functionality of the machinery.

While some issues that cause leaky connection points can easily be fixed (for example, an under or over tightened seal can easily be readjusted), contamination, cracks, and overused parts will need to be replaced. While a repair can work in the short-term, it’s not a sustainable solution and may prove costly in the future if it ruptures or fails.

Bulging

Though the previously mentioned issues may seem minor, one fault that certainly must be dealt with at the earliest possible moment is bulging.

Bulging occurs when there is too much material going through the internal tube, which causes structural damage to the hose. This can be caused by incompatible hydraulic fluid, or excessive pressure that is over what the hose is designed to handle.

When a hose begins to bulge, there is a serious risk of rupture occurring in the near future. Therefore, it is paramount that the hose is replaced at the earliest possible opportunity.

Bulging can be prevented by using agricultural hoses in their intended way. You should always read the specifications, ensure you’re using the correct fluid at the right pressure, and replace farm hoses every five to ten years as they suffer from general wear and tear. To allow for pressure fluctuations, make sure your chosen hose has a little leeway in the pressure it can withstand to reduce the risk of future ruptures.

Top tip: bulging carries one of the largest risks in and around harvest time, as the moment the farm hose bursts, serious downtime is inevitable to replace the hose.

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Monitoring your agricultural hoses

While agricultural hoses are designed to withstand the wear and tear of daily farm life, scheduling regular check ups is essential. This helps you to make sure they continue to work at their optimal performance throughout the season – and reduces the chances that you’ll need to down tools at the height of the season.

Not only can daily checks go a long way, but monthly structural checks and seasonal operational checks will go a long way to ensuring the farm will continue to run unimpeded for the months and years ahead.

Learn more with our guide to Hose Maintenance: How to Clean Your Hoses…

Discover the best agricultural hose with The Hosemaster

We have a superb range of hoses and fittings for use in and around your farm. And, with decades of experience within the industry, we are perfectly placed to offer you assistance with any questions or queries.

Contact us on 01282 604 002, or fill out our online form, and receive professional advice from one of our friendly customer service team members…