No matter how good, how polished, filled with features and guaranteed to last for decades a garden hose is, it will eventually break down just like all things do. They can break down for different reasons, like the usual wear and tear, rusting, or by an unfortunate accident as well. Luckily, there are several ways to repair your hose, and the duct tape method will be discussed in this article. You don’t have to go to the store or order online to get a new hose.
It is an even bigger problem now because hoses aren’t coming down in price. So, knowing what you need to look for when buying a hose and how to fix it properly when it breaks up is quite convenient today. This article will look into topics like these and hopefully, by the end of it, you can get an understanding of how to fix a broken hose in one of the simplest ways – by using a duct tape.
Why a hose breaks down?
As mentioned before, most hoses break from normal wear and tear. You may get leaks or it may even break down completely due to the constant water pressure that runs through for a long time. Besides that, a hose could be damaged from external impacts, like the impact with other equipment for example.
The wrong sized clamps can cause cracks as well. Incorrect workmanship and poor installation are some of the other human errors that lead to the hose breaking up. Some other causes include, exposure to extreme temperatures, contaminated fluid running through the hose, and incorrect length of the hose.
How To Fix a Hose Using Duct Tape
A hose breaking up is inevitable. As we have seen before, there are several reasons that cause this to happen in both short and long term. A lot of good hoses don’t come cheap these days. So, knowing how to fix them is very useful. Depending on the damage to your hose, the way you fix it will differ.
Small and large leaks aren’t treated in the same way for obvious reasons. However, fixing both of them is quite simple.
Duct tapes seem to fix everything and they do most of the time. Although duct tapes aren’t designed to withstand watertight repairs and the high pressure of water. In addition to that, these tapes are made from cotton fabric bonded to a layer of polyethylene and backed with a very sticky adhesive. They can be considered to be water resistant but they aren’t completely waterproof. Hence, duct tape is ideal for small leaks only and in most cases, the fix is just temporary.
However, the advantage of using duct tape is that the repair process is quick. When water leaks or the hose breaks down, a lot of water comes out and causes a lot of damage to different areas like the garden. So, a quick initial fix, almost like a first aid to an injury, is essential to get the situation under control until you can fix the hose completely.
To fix a leak using duct tape, turn off the water quickly and take the hose off. Dry the hose completely. Mark the punctures area with a marker and then wrap the duct tape round that damaged area and overlap the tape a few times to make it more study and for better adherence. Clean the wrapped area again with a piece of cloth. Be careful during the process as tightening the tape too much can break the hose and water flow may increase. After that, reconnect the hose to the spigot and check if the repair has worked out.
Some Maintenance Tips
- Always check the hose thoroughly for rips or tears. Even if your hose is new, always inspect it as it may get damaged by external means.
- Before attaching the hose, check the water pressure. High water pressure or water pressure in bursts can damage a hose easily. Hoses have a burst pressure rating, and if the water pressure is above that, your hose will get damaged. So, check and maintain a steady water pressure that your hose can withstand.
- Environmental affects, like extreme temperatures and prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause damage to a hose. So, storing it in a box and keeping it away from sunlight will keep the hose from factors that speed up drying and cracking.
- Most hoses break down due to twisting it during installation. Avoid it at all cost. Be patient and install it properly.
- It is easy to step on the hose while using it in the garden for instance. Avoid this mistake and make sure that the hose is lying flat on the ground. Make sure that there are no folds and the hose is kept loose on the ground.
- Use the correct clamp size which fits with the width of the hose. In addition to that, make sure that other fittings like the nozzle sprayer are of matching size as well.
Video Guide: How To Fix a Hose With Duct Tape
Final Words
Now you know why your hose may break down. There are several reasons for it and a lot of the time, it isn’t your fault. Natural wear and tear happen to all things and hoses are no different. However, you can repair them easily as well. Can a duct tape be used to fix a hose? Well, as we have seen, it depends on how much damage has been done to the hose.
Duct tapes aren’t designed to do this job, but they get the job done in the short term when the leak or break is small enough. This is useful as the process is fast and you can use the hose for a while until you can use other time-consuming means to fix it completely, or if you want, you can get a completely new one as well.
Thank you!