Follow along to learn some simple steps to stop those pesky leaks.
The first place to check for leaks would be your hose connection coming from your house. These are commonly called spigots or hose bibs. Parts should be readily available at your local hardware store or a "big box" home improvement store. To begin, we need to start the beginning.
Does it leak around the handle? If so, it may be as simple as tightening the packing nut to stop the leak. Be very careful to just slightly tighten the packing nut, too tight and the handle will be hard to turn. If tightening the nut did not work, it may be that the o-rings have hardened from age. You may need to shut the water off to the hose bib. Remove the handle by removing the screw that holds it on. Next, remove the packing nut. Clean the area the o-ring or packing sets, and clean the valve stem you just removed the packing nut from. Replace the o-ring or packing that is in there. A little lubrication eases reassembly. Vegetable oil is a safe lubricant for o-rings and packing. Do not use any petroleum products as for two reasons. One, some o-rings may break down if in contact with petroleum based oils. Two, you or someone else may get a drink from the hose. Play it safe and don't use petroleum products. Reassemble the packing nut and handle.
Does it leak when it is turned off? If so, this indicated a worn or broken faucet washer. This is a little more involved than a packing nut, but it is not to complicated. If needed, take or draw pictures as you disassemble the faucet to aid in reassembly. You MUST turn off the water before beginning. Take a look at you faucet. You will see the following: handle, stem, packing nut, body. Look where the packing nut screws to the body. The body should be two pieces. You need to separate the body from the stem assembly. When you do this, you should have the handle, stem, packing nut, and the upper half of the body in your hands. You will want to replace two things here. One, is the o-ring. Two is the faucet washer on the end of the stem opposite the handle. This washer will be held on by a screw. Remove the screw and replace the washer. Reassemble the faucet.
Other places hoses can leak are from the hose ends. Sometimes replacing the hose washer will stop the leak.If the leak is not coming from the connection, but rather from around the end itself, a replacement will be needed. Most homes use 1/2 inch or 5/8 inch diameter hose. If you are not certain which you have, cut the end off and bring it with you when you purchase a replacement end that fits your hose. Follow the directions to install the replacement end.
Sometimes the hose itself can develop leaks, Twists, kinks, bends, and dragging over sharp surfaces will cause leaks. Cut the leaky area out and purchase a hose repair kit that will join two peices of hose. Follow the instructions to install the fitting.
Congratulations, you not only have you done your part to conserve water, but you have saved money by not replacing the entire hose.
Dwayne Haskell owns and operates Mistkits.com where complete misting kits, individual components, and advice can be found. After building his own misting system for his nursery, he realized he could design and build systems for small nurseries or home gardeners who are interested in starting their own plants from cuttings.
He has written an E-book titled Build an Arbor in Just One Weekend, and another on gardening, landscaping and plant propagation tips. He also enjoys teaching others how to grow their own landscape plants and owns and moderates the Mistkits blog, where you can find more articles, polls, and quizzes on landscape and gardening related topics. Be sure to grab your own copy of an E-book when you visit!