If you own a home, there’s absolutely no avoiding plumbing problems. Oftentimes plumbing issues aren’t emergencies that require a professional plumber’s assistance. If homeowners have a tool kit with basic plumbing tools, they’re more than likely able to fix the problem all by themselves!
Plumbing Supplies for Your Home Toolkit
A home isn’t a home without a toilet clogging, and water backing up onto the bathroom floor. It’s often the moment a new homeowner realizes they forgot to buy a plunger for the bathroom. It’s often how a long-time homeowner realizes each bathroom in the house should have a plunger stored away someplace in each of the bathrooms.
Once the first plumbing problem is handled and peace is restored, homeowners will sit down and start thinking about must-have plumbing tools, along with other tools. We’re here to help with suggestions for the plumbing tool basics to buy (not rent) for your plumbing toolkit!
Plunger
Don’t roll your eyes! New homeowners regularly forget to add this basic plumber’s tool to their shopping lists when buying supplies for a new house. Long-time homeowners often buy one plunger, but have more than one bathroom. When they’re running through the house with soggy socks from one bathroom to the other to get the plunger.
Plungers are inexpensive enough, best to have one for each bathroom.
Basin Wrench
A basin wrench is a long handle adjustable wrench with jaws that swivel on the end. It’s helpful when a homeowner needs to tighten or remove a faucet valve. These wrenches can reach behind a sink in order to loosen the nuts holding the faucet in place.
Pipe Wrench
Pipe wrenches are heavy-duty ones used to grip and turn threaded pipes, fittings and nuts. You’ll need two: one for holding a grip, the other to turn. If you’re using it on a fixture, make sure you use some kind of barrier cloth between the wrench’s teeth and the fixture so the teeth don’t damage the fixture.
Adjustable Wrench
You’ll need an adjustable wrench for nuts and bolts that are hex-shaped. Hex-shaped nuts and bolts are often found on compression fittings, supply lines, and many other plumbing parts.
H4 Tongue-and-Groove Pliers
Plumbers use tongue-and-groove pliers when they need to grab, pull, twist, hold, tighten, or loosen just about anything. They come in two sizes, and you should buy both sizes! There’s nothing worse than starting work, grabbing the 10” ones, and finding out you need the 12” ones.
Thread Seal Tape
Thread seal tape is the KEY tool to reach for if you have a leaky pipe. Believe it or not, you can often solve the leak problem by using this tape on the threads of the pipe. It seals and secures metal, plastic and fiberglass piping – so it’s a staple in every plumbing tool kit!
Motor City Plumbing & Drain
Essential tools like wrenches and pliers are definitely must-haves, however, it doesn’t mean you won’t need a professional plumber after working on a non-emergency plumbing problem.