How to fix a hole in a garden hose, Bob Vila shows us how.
By Bob Vila and Manasa Reddigari.
Your garden hose is a great tool for hydrating your lawn, rinsing debris from your deck, and just about every exterior task that requires water.A bent, torn, or otherwise leaking hose makes outdoor chores more difficult.When running out to buy a new hose is inconvenient, you often only discover there is a problem after you start a job.It is easy to extend the life of a garden hose by repairing it.We have assembled our own fixes here.You can learn more about garden hose repair.
When you connect the water and see small, geyser-like spurts of water from the punctured section of the hose, it's a pesky hole.Water can be directed away from the lawn or plants you are aiming for by small leaks.The elasticity, insulation, and weather resistance of electrical tape can be used to plug holes, but you may eventually need a hose mender if leaks persist.
Remove the hose and wipe it dry with a rag.Wrap electrical tape around the marked section and mark it with a marker to ensure good adherence.Wrap the hose in a way that doesn't impede water flow.Turn on the water if you have solved the problem by connecting the hose to the spigot or spray nozzle.
The larger the tears in a hose, the more likely it is to be caused by a tree or bush.A hose mender, a short plastic or metal tube that replaces the damaged section, can come to the rescue.
Remove the torn section with a hose cutter or garden shears when the water is turned off.Attach the cut ends of the hose to the mender, twisting the two collars clockwise to tighten.Turn on the water to verify there are no leaks after you connect the hose to the spigot or nozzle.
The metal or plastic fitting found on both ends of a hose used to connect the hose to the spigot, nozzle, or sprinkler is one of the peskiest garden hose problems.The gasket on the hose couplings may need to be replaced if there is a steady trickle coming from them.You should switch out your hose gasket every three to 10 years.
Turn off the water and use needle-nose pliers to remove the gasket from the hose end.You can push the gasket with your fingers.The thicker the O-ring gasket, the better it is for the seal to be watertight.Attach the hose to a spigot or nozzle and turn on the water to make sure it doesn't leak.
If a run-in with a lawn mower or other heavy equipment causes the coupling on either end of the hose to get damaged, it may be time to replace it.A leaking hose is caused by the loss of the watertight seal between the hose and the spigot, nozzle, or sprinkler.
Replacing a bentcoupling with a new one that suits your needs will provide a permanent solution for the leak.The female and male connect to the spigot and the male connects to a nozzle or sprinkler, respectively.It's a good idea to choose acoupling with the same diameter as your hose.The diameter will be stated on the packaging.
The water should be turned off, the hose disconnected, and the entire bentcoupling removed with a hose cutter.Push the exposed end of the hose into thecoupling and then twist the collar to tighten it.Turn on the water to make sure the hose doesn't leak.