A hose clamp, also known as a hose clip, is a device used to attach and seal hose onto a fitting such as a barb or nipple. They are available in a wide array of materials and sizes and are often used as heavy duty zip ties and can also be used as a replacement for duct tape.

Hose clamps are manufactured to provide even pressure on all sides without any gaps and are used to ensure a tight seal between a hose and a barb. If you’re working on cars or plumbing, it’s very helpful to have some hose clamps for emergencies.

With hose clamps playing such an important role, here are 12 things you need to know about them and the different types of hose clamps.

• Typical uses for hose clamps include securing hoses in automotive systems and for clamping lines in household plumbing systems.
• Hose clamps are typically limited to moderate pressures like those found in home and automotive applications.
• Without the property quality and size hose clamp, a hose seals at risk to leak gas, liquid and other substances.
• To ensure a good seal between the hose and barb, a barb must be free of nicks, scratches and contamination.
• While expanding a hose clamp, it will open completely by turning a screwdriver counter-clockwise.
• There are several types of clamps, including worm gear clamps, spring clamps, screw clamps and wire clamps.
• Screw clamps are widely used for temporarily fixing damaged pipes quickly in emergency situations, which makes having some hose clamps for emergencies very essential.
• Screw hose clamps consist of a galvanized or stainless steel band, where a screw thread pattern has been cut or pressed.
• Screw clamps are normally used for hoses 1/2 in diameter and up.
• One of the simplest types of hose clamp is the spring clamp, which is a strip of metal in the shape of a cylindrical spring with many protrusions.
• Wire house clamps are typically composed of a heavy piece of wire and bent into a tight U shape.
• Worm drive hose clamps can be daisy-chained to make a longer clamp if there are several shorter ones that don’t have the required length.

With so many types of hose clamps and hose clamps for emergencies available, it can sometimes be difficult to pick the right one for the job you’re doing. Just because one type of hose clamp works well for repairing cars, it doesn’t mean it’s the best choice if you’re working on plumbing for example.

To pick the right kind of hose clamps for emergencies or for everyday use, there are several ways to make sure that happens:

• The Tape Rule: For this, you use a narrow strip of tape to measure a hose’s circumference and fitting application with the hose you’re using assembled on a pipe fitting.
• Dial calipers: These can be used to measure the outside diameter of a hose and the fitting application with a hose attached to a fitting.
• The Pi Tape Rule: This also measures the outside diameter of a hose and fitting application with the hose assembled.