Garden Hose Repair – Installing a fitting on a garden hose can be quite a hassle because the barb seems to be one size too large for the hose. Sometimes it is the wrong size but when the hose is just a little smaller than the barb. A solution is to take a coffee cup to microwave one inch of water for a minute. Take a clean cut hose end and submerge it into the hot water for 45 seconds. It will become quite pliable to force over the barb fitting. Let it cool a little and clamp it up. Heat works on tubing and fittings.
The Secret to Sprinkler Pipe Repair
If you own and maintain an in ground sprinkler system you have experienced the problem with removing a sprinkler line from a barb connector. Even after removing the clamp the pipe seems as though it is still clamped because even when using a lot of force the pipe will not release from the fitting.
This is especially evident when working in the ground and you are attempting to change a leaking fitting or add or subtract from a system and the pipe absolutely will not come off the fitting.
The ‘not so secret’ secret is to have a propane torch to heat the pipe so it releases from the fitting. It only takes a few passes (3 to 5 slowly passing over the pipe) to soften the pipe enough so it slides off the fitting easily. Do not use too much heat as to deform the fitting while heating up the pipe.
Once I heat up a pipe to take it apart I try not to reuse that end of the pipe. Cut those 3” off because the pipe is weaker there now and carry on with fresher material.