Plumbing Tools Everyone Should Have
You may not run into plumbing issues very often, but when you do they can be a real hassle. Fortunately, most of them can actually be fixed yourself fairly easily. All it takes is a bit of knowledge and a few simple tools and you’ll soon be on your way to performing your own plumbing repairs and avoiding the potentially high costs of hiring a professional plumber.
Plunger – Arguably the most popular plumbing tool that most people have is the plunger. By using the application of force and vacuum, plungers can be used to help unclog all sorts of drains, including but not limited to toilets that most people may associate them with. Bear in mind that plungers can come in a variety of styles and sizes so you know what kind to purchase for different types of plumbing. What all plungers have in common is the general design: a rubber cup attached to what is usually a wooden shaft that serves as a handle. Sink plungers generally look like a ball that has simply been cut in half while toilet plungers are somewhat mushroom-shaped.
Pipe Wrench – While perhaps not as commonly owned, the pipe wrench is the classic plumbing tool that comes to mind for most people when they think of “plumbing”. Widely considered a must-have for any plumber, pipe wrenches allow gripping around objects of a wide variety of shapes and sizes thanks to its adjustable design. As the name suggests, they are usually used on pipes, whether securing or removing them.
Pliers – While normal pliers can be used for plumbing repairs and even be interchangeably used with wrenches in certain situations, plumbing pliers are usually highly adjustable and have an irregular clamp shape. Such a design allows for better gripping on rounded objects such as piping, naturally.
Drain Snake – Possibly the least known plumbing tool and maybe even the most intimidating, drain snakes are fairly straightforward to operate and can be very useful in solving what may appear to be major plumbing issues without enlisting professional assistance. Thanks to its rigid yet flexible design with an auger at the end, drain snakes can remove tougher clogs when plungers can’t get the job done. They can be pushed and navigated through piping with relative ease to otherwise hard-to-reach places. Like plungers, drain snakes can be useful in a variety of situations ranging from toilets to bath tub drains. While they tend to be the most expensive tool on this list, they can arguably also prove to be the best investment.
Teflon Tape – Also called thread seal tape or plumber’s tape, teflon tape is used to secure pipe leakages. They are commonly applied on the pipe’s threading to provide an effective sealing surface when connecting piping together. Think of it as the duct tape of the plumbing world.
As you can see, investing in just a few tools and learning how to use them can save you on potential costs and headaches that may come with hiring a plumber. With a little practice, many common household plumbing mishaps can quickly and easily resolved on your own.
