Flex hose to dryer won't stay on well?
What you want is metal foil tape, not duct tapeFunny thing is that duct tape, though very useful for so many things, was NOT designed to seal ductsIn fact, it's probably the one place you should NOT use itThe glue on it dries out very quickly on heated ducts be they for normal heating or for dryer ventsI also prefer the straight ducts for dryers as they do not have the same tendency to accumulate lint that the flexible ducts haveYou can also use what is called zip screws or sheet metal screws to attach the hose, but personally, I would replace it with aluminum duct and tape the fittings with the metal tapeThere is a picture of a guy doing just that in the linkYou can get the tape (and the aluminum duct and elbows) at any home store or hardware storeAl
Find some cloth close to the same color as the pole and tie it around the pole in the spot where the sprinkler hitsHeavy material like a towel would be idealThat will greatly muffle the sound and will likely go unnoticed.
The foam sleeves used to insulate pipesThey come in grey which would not be too unsightlyBecause of the smaller diameter more than one would be needed to wrap a poleLOL
Think about it like a pinwheel - wind going one way spins it that way, wind going the other spins it the oppositeIt would indeed spin in the opposite direction, but the viscosity of the water would keep it extremely slow.
