Have you ever been in a situation where something breaks in your home but you have absolutely no idea how to fix it? If not, you’re one in a million. If so, then you know how frustrating of a feeling it is. This feeling of utter bewilderment and helplessness can come into play in one particular area of home care: plumbing.
Yes, most people have been there. Something with your plumbing system somehow goes on the fritz and you’re left scrambling in a panic to find a plumber.
Not only can it take hours or even days to get a plumber to come in and fix your system, hiring a plumber can be pretty costly.
This article is here to introduce you to a quick do it yourself fix for plumbing system issues: mastering the art of using a hose clamp. Once you learn how to work with hose clamps, you can easily clamp lines in your own household plumbing systems (and fun fact, these babies also work for securing hoses in automobile systems).
Here is some basic information to get you acquainted to the wonderful world of hose clamps.
What the Heck is a Hose Clamp and How Do I Use It?
- The first hose clamp was invented by a former Royal Navy Commander named Lumley Robinson in 1921. The easiest way to understand what a hose clamp is meant to do is to consider it as a substitute for sturdy zip ties or duct tape. A hose clamp or hose clip works to both attach and seal a hose onto a fitting such as a barb or nipple.
- A hose clamp works by applying even pressure on all sides without any gaps. To make sure that you ensure a good seal between a hose and a barb, you first have to inspect the barb. Make sure that it is free of nicks, scratches, contaminants or any other damage.
- While the premise of a hose clamp is easy enough to grasp, the trouble can lie in the sheer number of available types of hose clamps. There are mini hose clamps, large hose clamps, stainless steel hose clamps, wire hose clamps, double wire hose clamps — the list goes on and on. Consulting the Internet or experts at stores like Home Depot or Lowe’s can really help you out here; not only can they tell you what those double wire hose clamps will do, they’ll be able to tell you whether you should go with those double wire hose clamps or not.
Have you had any successful — or otherwise — experiences with working with hose clamps on your own? Let us know in the comments below!
