A leaky faucet at midnight? A clogged toilet when guests are arriving? A sprinkler system on the fritz right before a heat wave? Plumbing emergencies have a knack for striking at the worst times and unleashing chaotic floods if you’re not fully prepared.
When disasters strike, you need the right tools on hand to transform from panicked homeowner to empowered hero before costly water damage ensues. With this list of must-have plumbing tools, you’ll have the knowledge and gear to tackle troubles head-on.
From tiny washers to mighty augers, pipe benders to plumber’s torches, this article has got you covered. Read on to discover the tried & true gadgets to stock your supply arsenal.
- Pipe Bender
Few pipes come perfectly pre-shaped to fit your plumbing plans. That’s where a quality pipe bender saves the day. It enables you to gently curve PVC, copper, stainless steel, and other piping materials to route them exactly where you need them.
For tight spots behind walls or under sinks, a compact bender proves invaluable. Choose one customized for the pipe types you use most.
- Borescope
This clever inspection camera tool is a plumber’s best friend when assessing the innards of walls, floor cavities, drains, and pipes without major demolition. The long, flexible cable snake of a borescope slips into otherwise hard-to-reach spots. It’s tipped with a tiny camera that displays on-screen footage of clogs, leaks, pests, and other issues.
Now, you can diagnose and tackle pesky plumbing problems precisely.
- Plumber’s Tape
No quality plumbing job is complete without a healthy wrap of plumber’s tape sealing threaded fittings and connections. The stretchy, adhesive white tape makes pipes of all materials watertight. It fills in small gaps and depressions on thread edges that could otherwise leak.
Whenever you install valves, spigots, supply lines, drains, and more, finish by hand-wrapping connections with this inexpensive must-have tape.
- Wrenches
The humble wrench is a universal fixture in every plumber’s toolbox. Stock up on adjustable crescent wrenches, basin wrenches for tightening sink drains and supply lines, and jaw-grip chain wrenches that lock onto pipes.
Most plumbing fixtures require a twisting motion to secure them in place or remove them. Keep an assortment of mini and large pipe and nut wrenches close by to tackle any pipe threading tasks.
- Sump Pump
During heavy storms or snowmelts, groundwater can inundate a property’s foundation and flood basements. Installing a sump pump properly directs the unwanted water away from your building’s subsurface walls and floors.
- Screwdrivers
You’ll be surprised how often flat-head and Phillips-head screwdrivers get called into action for seemingly endless plumbing-related uses. From adjusting leaky shower handles to taking apart clogged sink traps, opening paint cans, prying off outdated fixtures, and any scenario requiring a good poke, prod, and turn, this classic toolbox staple proves its might.
- Pipe And Tube Cutters
When it’s time to resize and install new water supply lines, a specialized cutter tool ensures precise, burr-free cuts at exact lengths. Unlike hacksaws that can fray pipe edges, quality ratcheting tube cutters are the pro way to prep piping for connections. Bring along a mini cutter for jobs requiring detailed cuts in tight spaces.
- Hose Cutter
When your plumbing job involves sink sprayer replacements or installing washing machine supply lines, a special hose-cutting tool makes neat, calibrated cuts without flattening the hose. The sharp rotating blade slices cleanly through rubber and braided stainless steel. Ditch frustrating hose hacksawing or scissors slip-ups for uniform professional cuts.
- Plunger
Don’t leave home without a heavy-duty force cup plunger! Despite your best pipe-cleaning efforts, kitchen sinks, tubs, and toilets eventually clog. A quality plunger with a textured bell-shaped rubber cup generates tremendous suction and pressure to dislodge blockages and get flows moving. Use it as your first defense before snaking drains and calling for reinforcements.
- Auger
Speaking of snake tools – a drum auger should rank high on your must-have list. Also called a drain or closet auger, this stainless steel cable corkscrews through pipes to clear stubborn clogs beyond plunger relief.
Feed rotating augers down bathroom sinks, kitchen drains, laundry lines, sewer pipes, and further until you hook, dislodge, and retract the troublesome obstruction. Roto-Rooter pioneered the ingenious device back in 1935.
- Pipe Thawer
In regions where wintry weather prevails, frozen exterior hose bibs and interior supply pipes stop water flow in its frosty tracks. Break out your portable electric pipe heating pad or chemical pipe freeze kits.
Wrap the flexible thawer pads around affected pipes or inject anti-freeze liquids into the line. Heat safely restores flow without pipe damage in cold spots and avoids major pipe repairs.
Final Thoughts
Equipping your plumbing toolbox with this comprehensive list of go-to gadgets and gear ensures you can tackle any pipe predicament. Arm yourself with the right tools and knowledge, and no home or commercial plumbing challenge stands a chance.
Now, get out there, stop those leaks, clear those clogs, install those supply lines, and show that plumbing system who’s the boss!