Helpful Hints for Your Garden Hose
Keep a damaged hose out of the landfill
Here at Fix.com we are big fans of repairing, DIYing, and fixing up things around our homes. Buying a replacement part can be much more cost-efficient and prolongs the life of the item, keeping it out of the garbage. Sounds like a win-win to us! We’re now taking that concept and applying it to the humble garden hose. Have you ever tried watering the flowers only to discover you’ve sprung a leak, or the hose has such a bad kink that water barely trickles out? We have some solutions for you! If that hose is truly beyond help, we also have some nifty ideas to repurpose it, ensuring it continues being a useful member of your gardening arsenal.
Repairing a Damaged Hose
New Hose Ends
When you’re attempting to repair your hose by putting a new end on it, there are typically two sizes of hose diameters: half inch and five-eighths. It is important to know which size your hose is before you go to pick up a repair kit. Reasons you may need to attach a new end to your hose if yours has gotten squished, stripped, worn, or kinked. All of these can result in poor water flow.
The first step is to cut off the bad section of the hose, then slide a clamp onto the good section. Next is to insert the fitting into the hose and slide the clamp up over that fitting. The final step is to take a flat blade screwdriver and tighten the clamp around the fitting. Attach the spray head to your newly repaired hose, and you're good to go again!
New Middle Section
Cutting off a couple inches or even feet off the end of your hose won’t impact the length too much. What if the damage is in the middle of the hose? You don’t need to worry about losing all that length, we’re simply going to use a joiner or union instead!
Once again, the damaged section of hose is cut away but this time we’ll add a clamp to both pieces of the remaining hose. Then take the joiner or union piece and insert each end into the sections of hose. Slide the clamps over the union and tighten the clamps in place.
Compression Kits
There are also repair kits available that don’t require clamps or screwdrivers. These all-in-one kits use a compression style of fitting. You will still need to cut away the damaged section of the hose to start. Then take the good piece of hose and insert it into the compression fitting. Once the hose has been inserted completely, you simply need to tighten the nut to secure the hose in place.
Repurposing a Damaged Hose
If your hose is damaged beyond repair, or perhaps you’ve upgraded to a longer version, your old hose doesn’t need to be thrown out! There are numerous ways it can be repurposed around the yard or your workshop.
Blade Guard
If you have numerous sharp tools in your shed, garage, or workshop, pieces of garden hose can be a great way to cover up the blades. All you need to do is cut a section of the hose to size, and then slice that piece of hose open. Fit the opening over the blade and you’re good to go. This works great for tools like an axe head or a bucksaw.
Watering Can Extender
If you have a particularly lush plant, or perhaps a rather prickly one, it can be difficult to get the watering can in around the base and the water spills everywhere. Try removing the sprinkler-style spout from the watering can and inserting a section of garden hose. This gives you some extra length to work with and lets you water precisely around the plant.
Bucket Handle
Do you have a bucket or garden pail with a plain metal handle? Does that plain metal handle dig into your hand uncomfortably whenever you lift said bucket? Garden hose to the rescue! Cut a piece of hose down to size, cut a slit in the hose, and wrap it around the metal handle. You now have a nice, cushioned grip making the bucket easier to carry.
Sapling Support
If you’ve planted new trees that need to be supported, the garden hose can once again come in handy. Take a section of hose, cut it open, and wrap it around your chain. Then it can be wrapped around the tree and staked. The garden hose helps to prevent damage to the young tree, as it keeps the chain from biting into the bark.
Garbage Grips
Have you experienced the frustration of the garbage bag falling down inside the can? A couple of pieces of hose can help prevent that from happening. Slice open a couple of small sections of hose and use them to grip the bag around the rim of the garbage can. No more slipping!
These tips and tricks will help you get the most out of an old garden hose, whether it can be repaired or repurposed around the yard. Reducing waste and keeping perfectly useful items out of the landfills is a win-win for everyone! If you need to do some additional repairs to your lawn and garden equipment, we have you covered. Simply search for your model number on our site and check out our YouTube channel. for more helpful tips.
