How to Patch a Torn Garden Hose
A gash that is only 1/4-inch long can render an otherwise perfectly good garden hose useless. While some would respond to such an accident by replacing the entire hose, you can engineer a strong, sturdy fix in less than fifteen minutes. All you need are the right supplies and a little bit of muscle to get your torn hose ready for another few years of faithful service. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Torn garden hose
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Six inches of copper tubing
- Three hose clamps
- Sharp knife or garden shears
Instructions
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Identify the location of the tear. This should be relatively easy when the hose is hooked up to the outdoor faucet and turned on. Once you have located the tear, remove the hose from the faucet.
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Use a sharp knife or large garden shears to cut the torn section of hose on either side. You want to sever the hose cleanly in two, discarding the damaged section entirely.
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Measure the diameter of the interior of the garden hose. Find or buy a 6-inch long section of copper tubing that is just slightly smaller in diameter than the inside of the hose.
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Slide the copper tubing into one of the cut ends of the hose, pushing it roughly halfway in. This may take some time and maneuvering, depending on the tightness of the fit. Push the cut end of the other half of the hose over the exposed piece of copper tubing until the two cut halves meet in the middle.
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Place a hose clamp directly over the seam in the two hoses and tighten it well. Place another hose clamp two inches to the left of the first clamp and tighten it down. Finally, install a third hose clamp two inches to the right of the first clamp. Your hose should now be sufficiently reinforced to keep it working well for the foreseeable future.
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Tips & Warnings
Roll up your hose after every use to avoid tears and leaks to the greatest possible extent.
Do not attempt to patch the seam with electrical tape. While electrical tape can be effectively used to patch smaller hose tears, it is inappropriate and insufficient for this method.
