Plumbing – How to fix a leaking connector between the garden hose and faucet

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I am trying to connect a garden hose with the faucet. After connecting and turning on the faucet, the water still squirted out. Please see the attached picture.

I am not sure whether I need a wrench to tighten it, or it is just because the faucet or hose connector are too old. Or in other words, is using a wrench to tighten a hose connector a required procedure?

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Best Answer

It's possible to get the hose screwed on by hand tightly enough that it won't leak if your grip is strong enough; I think the strength required is within the normal range for an adult (mine is relatively strong though, so your mileage may vary). But before you get a wrench, there's a couple of things you should check:

  • make sure the threads on the faucet and on the hose are clean; if they've been disconnected over the winter, they could have picked up some dirt or grit which is preventing you from getting a good seal.
  • the hose is supposed to have a rubber washer to make the seal against the end of the faucet. If it's missing, perished, or not seated correctly, then you won't get a good seal. You can get packs of washers (more than you'll ever use, probably) cheaply at the big box stores.

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Once you've got those taken care of, try it with the hose screwed on hand-tight. If you're still getting leaks, you can try using a wrench, but remember that tightening is good, over-tightening is bad because you start to deform the rubber washer, which reduces its effectiveness. Get the hose hand-tight, then use the wrench to go another quarter-turn or so. If it's still leaking, it may be time to get a new hose.