With the right equipment, fixing many plumbing issues in your home can be pretty simple.
Here’s a list of five basic tools to keep on hand.
- Tongue-and-groove pliers: These pliers are easy to use and work for various projects. They have long handles, angled jaws and multiple adjustment options. With this tool, two is better than one. One set of pliers can help hold a part, while the other set can be used to loosen or tighten a nut.
- Basin wrench: Also referred to as a sink wrench, this tool is self-tightening and can loosen or tighten as needed, especially in hard-to-reach places.
- Plumber’s putty: Seal your pipe joints with plumber’s putty. This product is designed for joints that aren’t under pressure, like sink drains.
- Needle nose pliers: Working in tight spaces sometimes means other tools won’t fit. Needle nose pliers should be kept handy to grip even the smallest parts.
- Pipe wrench: One of the most trusted tools of any plumber is the pipe wrench. This wrench can be used in various jobs, particularly for pipes close to a wall, a threaded iron or galvanized steel pipe. As with tongue-and-groove pliers, it’s wise to have two pairs of pipe wrenches, as some jobs might require one wrench to hold the pipe steady, while the other wrench turns the second pipe.
Other plumbing tools to keep on hand
While these five tools will certainly help you in most plumbing scenarios, it’s also a good idea to have a set of screwdrivers handy, including a variety of sizes and shapes to fit the many plumbing fixtures in your home.
