If you are a homeowner, it does not hurt to be ready for every plumbing situation that you might encounter. A basic toolbox consists of several tools, but what you should buy depends on your plumbing repair needs. You should break down your tools by task and determine the ones that you must have on hand.
Basic Plumbing Tools
While you might not be able to solve every plumbing problem with these basic tools, you will cover the basics: changing the shower head, fixing the faucet, and unclogging the toilet. The tools you need are:
Locking Pliers
If you have an adjustable wrench, this tool might not be necessary. However, some homeowners prefer to use locking pliers because they offer more use.
Needle Nose Pliers
You need to have a pair of these for working tight spots and doing detailed work. Moreover, a pair of needle nose pliers come in handy when grasping small bits of plumbing.
Basin Wrench
This tool will come in handy when you need to work on hard-to-reach areas such as underneath the sink. A basin wrench comes in handy for loosening and tightening sink faucets.
Pipe Wrench
You can use this large and heavy wrench to loosen or tighten threaded nuts, pipes, and fittings. When buying, make sure that you select two because you need one for holding and the other for turning. If you need protection, you should wrap the jaws in a cloth and keep working.
Hacksaw
This flexible saw can be used to cut through nuts, metal pipe, screws, and plastic pipe. When making tough cuts, you should ensure that the blade is tense inside the frame to prevent it from coming loose. When working in tight spots, you should wrap the end of a loose blade to make a handle for yourself.
Plunger
This tool is also known as plumber’s best friend because it is very useful. When you need to remove blockages from tubs, sinks, and toilets, a plunger is the first tool that you will grab. If you are using a plunger to unclog a toilet, you should make a firm seal around your drain then pull the plunger upwards. You need to make sure that you pull the clog upwards instead of sinking it deeper.
Adjustable Wrench
This tool is useful when fixing supply lines, compression fitting, as well as other parts that have hex-shaped nuts. Before you buy an adjustable wrench, make sure that the moving jaw can hold at the firm setting and that it does not slip loose.
Propane Torch
You will need it if you are going to be sweating copper fittings and pipes. If you have an extra 50 dollars to spend, you should invest in a self-igniting torch that turns on at the touch of a trigger. This will be more convenient than using matches.
According to the owner of Plumbing Fix, these tools might cover basic projects, but you need more tools to handle advanced plumbing work.
Tools for Copper Piping
Soldering pipes is usually a bit intimidating but if you understand the principles and have the right tools, it is an easy process. The tools that you need to fix copper piping include:
– Flux and brushes
– Tubing cutter
– Propane torch
– Copper fittings
– Solder
– Emery paper or fitting brush
When you live in a home for a long time, you will encounter plumbing problems and call in a plumber every time will be costly. Sometimes a loan may be necessary to cover the unwarranted repair. In this case, Crediful offers a list of options for you to consider. But in case you want to install an automatic lawn sprinkler New York, you might want to think about calling the professionals to get you that job done for you.
