Have you experienced a home plumbing problem that you know how to fix but don’t have the right plumbing tools? We usually borrow what we need from a neighbor. Sometimes drive to our local home improvement center and buy what we need. In the worst case, we call our plumber to perform a service you could complete yourself. Every household should have the essential tools and supplies to provide standard services to its plumbing system. Every homeowner or renter should know how to unclog a toilet, fix a slow-moving drain, perform water heater maintenance, and check your water pressure. Also, they should also know how to reset and maintain your garbage disposal. Check out these low-cost plumbing tools below.
Most Plumbing Repairs Are About What You Know
While professional plumbers drive around with plenty of specialty equipment on their trucks, most homeowners can handle more of their own needs with just a handful of plumbing tools. This is because the most common household plumbing repairs are more about the know-how (and replacement parts) than advanced tools and special techniques. But a few specialty items are indispensable for everyday plumbing jobs. Topping the list is the most familiar plumbing problem of all, a clogged drain.
Your Sink Auger Is A Handy Plumbing Tool For Every Household
The best tool for dislodging and cleaning obstructions in sink and bathtub drains is a sink auger, also known as a drum auger, canister auger, or plumber’s snake. A long flexible 1/4 inch stainless steel wire with a corkscrew type of tip called a boring gimlet at the end makes up a sink auger. To reach a clog and remove it, the cable is stretched into a drain after being wound up within the drum canister. When you enter the cable into your drain and spin the handle, the revolving drum snakes the cable over curves inside the drain pipe. This enables it to penetrate the obstruction and clear it out. The drum includes a handle and a thumbscrew that secures the cable to the canister.
Another Handy Plumbing Tool Is A Toilet or Closet, Auger
To unclog toilets, utilize the toilet auger, a closet auger, or a toilet snake. These two augers are made for completely different uses. It would be best if you didn’t use a sink auger on toilets or a toilet auger on ordinary drains. Instead, the thick metal rod with a curve serves as the toilet auger that will reach just past your toilet’s drain pipe hole. A rubber sleeve is placed over the curve to prevent scratches on the toilet’s porcelain. When the auger cable reaches the clog, you push the toilet snake while rotating the handle once the equipment is in position.
A Flange Plunger Is Another Cost Affective Tool
The flange plunger, also known as a ball plunger or toilet plunger, is a plunger with a unique design used to unclog toilets. It functions similarly to a standard plunger but features a flange—an expanded rubber flap just below the dome of your plunger’s head—that aids in sealing the toilet bowl at the opening. As a result, the plunger can successfully provide the hydraulic pressure required to remove most toilet blockages.
Cup Plunger (Sink and Tub Plunger)
The most popular plumbing equipment in a home could be a cup plunger. It is used to unclog obstructions in sinks, bathtubs, and showers and features a wooden handle with a rubber cup that will form on almost any surface. However, please don’t use this plunger to unclog toilets; instead, use a flange plunger, which has a unique form. Although, when your flange is tucked inside, it may be utilized as a regular cup plunger.
Plumber’s Tape May Seem Minor But Used Correctly Could Save You From Grief
For the purpose of avoiding leaks in your plumbing system, it’s best always to wrap any threaded plumbing connection with the plumber’s tape. Plumber’s tape, which we often refer to as Teflon tape (despite not being manufactured of Teflon-brand material), is a thin white tape that you wrap around the threads on fittings and pipes before connecting the elements. The tape slightly lubricates the threads to make them easier to tighten and also helps seal the connection to stop any possible leaks. It comes in a thin roll made of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene). It has a smooth touch and is easy to manipulate.
You Will Always Use Channellock Type Pliers
Channellock’s, another name for slip-joint pliers, is a popular brand name for channel-type pliers. With an expanded adjustment section and angled jaws, they are comparable to normal adjustable pliers but enable you to grasp pipes or other plumbing components of virtually any size. The long handles offer great leverage for twisting and squeezing. You could use them to carefully tighten plastic nuts on sink drains and toilets or hold thick steel pipes. That’s how versatile they are. This is one tool every household could benefit from.
Adjustable Pipe Wrench Is Another Handy Plumbing Tool
Every homeowner’s toolbox needs a metal pipe wrench with an adjustable jaw. It offers fantastic grip and leverage. It has sharp, serrated teeth intended to grip the pipe, giving it a firm hold for any pipe in your plumbing system. For removing chrome plated fittings or small or delicate pipes, such as copper water pipes, a pipe wrench is not advised since it leaves teeth marks behind. Heavy-duty fittings with rough surfaces, such as outdoor spigots or fire hydrants, as well as galvanized steel or iron pipes, are the main uses for pipe wrenches.
Hex Wrench, Jam-Buster, Garbage Disposal Wrench
The next tool every household should have on hand is a hex wrench, also known as a jam buster or garbage disposal wrench. First, remove any standing water in your sink if your garbage disposal gets jammed. Then insert a garbage disposal wrench into the designated area at the bottom of your disposal. Now turn the wrench back and forth in the bottom of your disposal in both directions.
It’s completely fine to use some force to dislodge whatever is causing the problem. Your goal is to move the wrench freely in both directions. The red overload button should have tripped; it will extend out about 1/4 inch. Press the button “in.” If it does not stay “in,” then wait 10 minutes and retry. Allow water to run down the drain, then turn on the garbage disposal. If it clogs again, repeat the process.
A Water Pressure Gauge Should Be Part Of Every Homeowner’s Toolbox
Every home should have a water pressure gauge. When fastened to our outdoor spigot, you’ll be able to get an accurate reading of your water pressure. If it’s over 80 pounds per inch (PSI), you’re putting too much stress on your pipes and appliances. If it’s under 40 PSI, it’s too low and needs to be adjusted. The perfect PSI for your home water pressure is 40 to 60 PSI. Ask your Big B’s Plumbing expert for more ideas on do-it-youself plumbing tools.
