The Logistics of Repairing a Leaky Hose

If your garden hose is leaking, its a pretty safe bet that the source of your problem is the washer that connects the hose to your water spigot. Over time these washers can rust, lose their elasticity, or a million other little things. Don't worry, though, this is a problem simply solved. Just drive to your local hardware store and purchase a single, or bag, or plastic washers. When you arrive home, simply unscrew the offending washer and replace it with a shiny, new one. This should immediately solve your leaky hose problem. If it doesn't, then you should make sure that the spigot isn't cracked and that the problem doesn't lie in the top of your hose.

Another problem that can arise, especially at the beginning of the gardening season is a series of small holes in your garden hose. If you've had your hosed stored in an outbuilding all winter, its a pretty safe bet that some gnawing little rodents have gotten to it. Don't immediately throw out your garden hose and plan on purchasing a new one, it's entirely possible that the problem can be easily, and cheaply fixed. Simply head to your local hardware store and purchase a set of plugs. These come in all different sizes and are extremely low priced. When you arrive home, simply place the plugs in the holes until you can go back and properly repair them with electrical tape.

Your hose could also be suffering from the ravages of winter if it is leaking early in the spring. During the winter the hose can freeze, which causes cracking. Sometimes this cracking results in holes and leaks in your garden hose. This problem is not as easily fixed as rodent holes. Usually cracking leaves large holes or a crack that spans a length of the hose. If the area isn't huge, it is possible to repair the hose without having to purchase a new one. Simply cut the hose at both ends of the hole and then attach a mender or some couplings to either end of the hose pieces. Connect them to the mender and your hose will be good as new, if a bit shorter.