LITTLE ROCK — I have a garden hose which is still in pretty good condition but has a leaky connector, some crushed fittings and some splits. I don’t want to throw away a perfectly good hose if it can easily be repaired. On the other hand, I don’t want to deal with the mess and leaks. What should I do?
“With new garden hose prices ranging between $20-$50, it makes a lot of sense to repair the split, pin hole leak or crushed end of the hose instead of buying a new hose,” says Tim Hennelly of Little Rock, owner of Casa Buena house inspection.
Hennelly adds that a hose mender kit at any hardware store generally costs less than $3 and the repair takes about 10 minutes.
If a leak is at a fitting and the connectors are in good shape, just replace the washer in the fitting. A grooved, cracked or hard washer will always leak no matter how tight the fitting is made.
But a new washer will seal between the two surfaces, creating a watertight connection.
For a split in the hose, a splice can be bought, the bad section removed and a short tube splice and clamps used to make the repair.
For hose end connectors that are bent or damaged, buy a fitting in the correct size, cut off the old fitting and simply slip the new one into place and tighten the clamps.
“Congratulations on fixing it yourself!” Hennelly encourages.
“With the money you saved, you can take your spouse to a movie and even get ice cream afterwards.”
Hennelly also offers some preventive maintenance advice that will help ensure the maximum longevity of a garden hose and help to ward off the need for repairs.
“After using the hose make sure you drain all the water from it,” he suggests. “This is easily accomplished by removing the attachments and coiling the hose starting at the spigot end.”
“Never hang the hose on a nail, which can cause splits or kinks,” he says. “Instead, use a wall-mounted hose rack, hose spoolor coil it inside of a decorative pot.”
Where the hose is stored can also lengthen its life. Be sure to always store it out of direct sunlight to prevent damage to the rubber or vinyl. Don’t leave the hose on the ground when it’s not in use as fungus can deteriorate the hose material or it can be damaged by lawn equipment,” Hennelly says.
And take care of it during the winter months as well.
“Do not leave a hose connected to the spigot when the possibility of freezing temperatures is present,” Hennelly warns. “Doing so can cause water pipes to freeze and adversely affect the hose material.”Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? We’ll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Linda S. Caillouet, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail:
HomeStyle, Pages 34 on 03/31/2012