A Quick Fix

There are so many things that can go wrong with your garden hose, often it is diagnosing the problem that is the most difficult part of the repair. The problem could lie in your hose, or it could be laid at the door of the spigot that you use with your hose. There are several steps which are beneficial when repairing your garden hose.

Check Out the Spigot
Oftentimes leak doesn't come from the end of your hose, but from the spigot to which it's attached. Over time the fittings in the base of the spigot can rust or crack. By simply replacing the washer or nut in the spigot, you leak should clear up right away. If it persists, then you can assume that the problem lies in either the end of your hose, or somewhere in its length.

Find the Problem
Finding the source of a leak isn't always as easy as it sounds. Most of the time the hole is relatively small or hard to pick out when the hose is not running. The best way to find a hole is to attach a gun like nozzle to the end of the hose and turn the water on. The added water pressure will usually cause water to spurt out of the hole, drawing your attention. After you have found the hole, be sure to mark it with either a permanent marker or black tape so you can find it later. If the hole is a small one, then purchasing a plug should fix the problem for the time being. Simply insert the plug into the hole and continue your watering. Once you come to a stopping point you can properly patch the hole with electric tape. If the hole is larger, then the problem can be fixed by attaching a mender. To do this you will need to cut the hose on either side of the hole and attach each cut end into the mender. This should easily fix your problem. If the hole is too large to patch or runs the length of the hose, this is the time when you should probably start thinking of purchasing a new garden hose.

For more information and directions on how to properly attach a mender, check out ehow.com.