Making Your Own Water Hose Repair Kit
You never know what type of problem is going to crop up when you least expect it. One of the most common problems that people face is a leaky garden hose. It's happened to all of us, you grab the hose to give your lawn the first watering of the season, and suddenly you spy a leak. If you own your own water hose repair kit, this small hole can be fixed quickly and easily, without having to run to the nearest hardware store for parts.
Electric Tape A roll of electric tape is probably the most necessary item when it comes to fixing a leaky hose. Usually when your hose springs a leak it is just a small hole from being caught on a rock or chewed on by some animal. By wrapping several layers of electrical tape around a dry, clean hose you can quickly stop the leak.
Washers Another common problem associated with water hoses is a leaky spigot. Leaking where your hose attaches to the spigot is most often caused by a broken or rusted washer. This problem is easily fixed by simply replacing the old washer with a new one. The process is very easy, simply unscrewing the old washer, and attaching the new one. Because washers are so inexpensive, buying several of them at a time is a good idea.
Crimpers It is also a smart idea to have several crimpers, or clamps in your kit in the event that a large leak occurs. Crimps are used to patch hoses where sections have been removed. To use a crimp you simply cut away the part of the hose with the leak and then reattach both ends into the crimper.
Other Important Items There are several other small items that should be included in your kit. Scissors or garden shears come in handy when you are using a crimper and need to cut the thick rubber hose. A black permanent marker can be used to mark a leak or draw cutting lines. Another interesting item that should be in your kit is a simple container of liquid soap. Applying this soap to the ends of a rubber hose makes them more pliable and easier to insert into a crimper.
Items in Your Kit
To be effective your water hose repair kit will need several items. Almost all of these items are inexpensive, costing less than $5 each. Nearly every item in your kit should be bought in duplicate, in case you need to repair a hose multiple times, or you have several hoses to repair.Electric Tape A roll of electric tape is probably the most necessary item when it comes to fixing a leaky hose. Usually when your hose springs a leak it is just a small hole from being caught on a rock or chewed on by some animal. By wrapping several layers of electrical tape around a dry, clean hose you can quickly stop the leak.
Washers Another common problem associated with water hoses is a leaky spigot. Leaking where your hose attaches to the spigot is most often caused by a broken or rusted washer. This problem is easily fixed by simply replacing the old washer with a new one. The process is very easy, simply unscrewing the old washer, and attaching the new one. Because washers are so inexpensive, buying several of them at a time is a good idea.
Crimpers It is also a smart idea to have several crimpers, or clamps in your kit in the event that a large leak occurs. Crimps are used to patch hoses where sections have been removed. To use a crimp you simply cut away the part of the hose with the leak and then reattach both ends into the crimper.
Other Important Items There are several other small items that should be included in your kit. Scissors or garden shears come in handy when you are using a crimper and need to cut the thick rubber hose. A black permanent marker can be used to mark a leak or draw cutting lines. Another interesting item that should be in your kit is a simple container of liquid soap. Applying this soap to the ends of a rubber hose makes them more pliable and easier to insert into a crimper.