Garden tap leaking while filling the paddling pool? Here's the fix
Sound familiar, just as summer starts?
Finally some summer weather, the paddling pool is ready — but at the garden tap, water runs out around the hose connection instead of into the hose. Frustrating, but usually fixable in a few minutes.
Where's the leak usually located?
- Hose connection — a worn or mismatched fitting no longer seals properly.
- Tap washer (aerator or seal) — after a winter outdoors the rubber can harden or crack.
- Tap body itself — with older outdoor taps, the tap body can be internally damaged by frost.
Check yourself: where exactly?
Does water leak at the fitting where the garden hose clicks onto the tap? Then it's the connector or the washer inside it. Does water leak from the tap itself, even without a hose attached? Then the tap's internal mechanism needs replacing.
Here's how to fix it
- Shut off the water supply to the garden tap.
- For a leaking connector, replace the rubber washer in the hose fitting — often enough on its own.
- Still leaking? Replace the entire connector or the garden tap's washer itself.
- Turn the water supply back on and test with the garden hose attached.
Preventing frost damage for next year
At the end of the season, shut off the outdoor tap at the main valve and let the remaining water drain from the pipe. This prevents the tap body from cracking due to freezing — the most common cause of leaking garden taps in spring.
Done? Here's your next step
Find hose connectors and garden tap parts in our webshop. Draining your paddling pool after summer too? Make sure your garden tap lasts the whole season.
