The inner workings of the things that help to keep our homes functioning comfortably are a mystery to many. Most people’s knowledge of their heating and cooling systems begins and ends with the thermostat, and staring at a water heater is as elusive as trying to understand a language you do not speak. Having a basic understanding of how these things work, however, is important to being a good home owner and understanding the maintenance needs of your home. In the quest to increase your knowledge about the things that keep your appliances running smoothly, learning about hose clamps is a great place to start. If you want to be able to impress your friends with your knowledge of hose clamps at your next party, keep reading.
1) History of Hose Clamps Hose clamps are far from a trendy new invention. Dating back to 1921 when Lumley Robinson, a former Royal Navy Commander invented them, these clamps have been improving the function of various machines and pipe systems for nearly a hundred years.
2) Functions of Hose Clamps Put most simply, a hose clamp is something that is used to affix a hose to whatever it needs to attach to, most often a nipple or barb. Tight seals in things like home appliances or automotive systems, in which there is only moderate levels pressure, is key and the reason that hose clamps are so important.
3) Varieties of Hose Clamps Hose clamps come in a a variety of sizes and can be made of several different materials. You may encounter wire hose clamps, stainless steel hose clamps, or plastic hose clamps. These clamps also come in as many sizes as there are sizes of hose to help make sure that there is always a clamp available to effectively clamp a connection.
4) Where Can You Find Them? Hose clamps can be found in a variety of places in your home. Any appliance within your home that includes a hose will likely have some type of hose clamp to minimize leaks and maximize performance. Further, hose clamps can be found in a variety of automotive machine parts. These little clamps are a lot more commonly found than you may think!
5) If You’re In a Pinch A great tip to keep in mind is that hose clamps actually make for great heavy duty zip ties. They can also replace the almighty duct tape for some functions within your home. Because there are so many varieties of hose clamps, you are almost certain to find one that meets your needs for whatever project you are working on.
Even though learning about how things like how hose clamps work may seem a little intimidating for the average person, slowing building your knowledge base will help you to both hone your own skills at repair and better understand the work you have professionally done in your home. Taking a bit of time to learn about these things can save you money, time, and frustration down the road.
