A List Of Basic Plumbing Tools For Quick Do It at Home Fixes

Obviously there will probably be times in your life when you come across a plumbing situation in your home that is a little bit over your head, but in a lot of cases you may be surprised to find out how many problems you can fix on your own. With the advent of the internet all kinds of great tips and advice are at your fingertips to help you solve any number of problems. Even with all this information readily available, if you don’t have the proper tools you are putting yourself at a disadvantage. Of course you don’t have to buy out the nearest hardware store, but it helps to have some of the simple basic plumbing tools on our list just in case. Otherwise any thoughts of being the do it yourself handyman are really just plain wishful thinking. You don’t need to feel overwhelmed. It’s not like you have to go out and buy everything right now. Just start with a few of the essentials, and you can work on building up your collection over time. A small investment in tools can lead to big savings in professional repair services.

The Plunger

When most people visualize a plumber this is the first tool that comes to mind. It’s relatively inexpensive. In fact, you could probably easily find one for less than ten dollars, but it will feel like a million dollar tool when you are faced with a crisis. The plunger can be used to unclog any number of areas. It can be used for toilets, showers, sinks, tubs, and floor drains. One thing is for sure. When your toddler decides to try to flush a whole roll of toilet paper down the toilet right before your company comes, you will be grateful that you have this quick fix tool on hand.

Hand Auger

This is your go to tool when it seems like the plunger isn’t quite going to be able to do the trick. It’s useful when dealing with more stubborn clogs or those clogs that are farther into the plumbing that the plunger has no noticeable effect on. This tool has been nick named the plumber’s snake, because it is a 25 foot long flexible steel cable. It may resemble a snake in appearance, but it is definitely nothing to be afraid of. It has a hand crank and can be used to unclog any drain, tub, or toilet that has proven too tough to be remedied by the plunger alone.

Basic Wrench

This can be used in all different kinds of situations. It is absolutely invaluable for faucet repairs, because you will want to use it to loosen and tighten the nuts that keep the faucet in place. You will be glad that you have your wrench around when you are able to stop a leaky faucet before it turns into a raging waterfall. A pair of slip joint pliers may also be used, but whichever one you use be sure and not mar the plating on your exposed bathroom taps.

Off to a Good Start

You might not have quite the assortment of tools in your collection that a professional plumber would, but with these three basic plumbing tools you are off to a good start. You will discover that it is quite empowering to be able to solve plumbing problems on your own, instead of always having to turn to someone else for help. As you collect more tools over time you will be able to expand the repertoire of issues that you are able to remedy.