A plumbing emergency can occur at any time. The challenging part is that it could happen during hours when you cannot call anyone for help. The first way to avoid this is to keep your appliances updated. However, sometimes the leaks are bound to occur despite recent fixtures and with new appliances.
It is essential to be self-sufficient and keep a kit of tools for plumbing to save the day. Simply knowing the basics, what to do, and how to use tools can save you a lot of trouble.
We have created a list of essential instruments for your toolbox that, when utilized cautiously, might limit damage to a minimum.
5 Must-Have Emergency Plumbing Tools To Keep In Your Toolkit
It is important to ensure that you have all the necessary plumbing gear to perform minor fixes. Moreover, these tools can help you keep the leaks under control while you wait for skilled plumbing professionals to arrive.
Here are five important tools you must have in your plumbing toolkit:
Plunger
This tool may not be new information, but it helps with more than just clogged toilets. Plungers are useful for sink drains, bathtubs, and showers. However, it would be better to keep two separate plungers for porcelain and sinks and use one for each bathroom separately.
Additionally, it is important to make a solid cover before attempting to pull the material up.
Pliers
Another must-have basic tool for plumbing is a plier. Channel-lock pliers are also referred to as tongue-and-groove pliers. They are similar to slip-joint pliers with a top jaw and an angled head. Pliers can also lock at different angles and intervals and grab nuts and bolts of larger sizes. Their long handles, ranging from 7 to 12 inches, allow faster tightening and adjusting to different pipe sizes.
Pliers can be used for different connectors. However, when you are buying one, consider the following elements:
- The perfect size for a plier does not slide the metal. When buying one, ensure that the jaw open matches the size of the connectors and clamps the nuts and bolts correctly.
- Use the pliers against the direction of their teeth. This could help with grip and prevent slipping.
Basin Wrench
It can be challenging to work in small, constrained areas. Spaces such as underneath the kitchen sink are often small spaces crammed with several pipes and tubes. As a result, it is challenging to reach some fasteners. This is where you need a basin wrench. A fastener-gripping head on the tool’s long handle allows it to be turned around the axis and work within congested spaces.
Pipe Wrench
Similar to basin wrenches, pipe wrenches are also designed to handle hex nuts. A pipe wrench can do more than just tighten and loosen nuts and bolts. Fixing a pipe with this wrench could prevent further damage as you wait for professional help to arrive.
Auger
When the pipes get clogged and water cannot drain, this blockage is due to food or hair getting stuck. It disturbs the water flow, and an Auger is the most effective tool to avoid all that trouble.
An auger is a tool similar to a pipe. Auger helps clean the area of clogged drains without damaging the surrounding area. Due to the corkscrew end’s attachment to a flexible rope, it is simple to navigate challenging obstructions and jams.
It also helps unclog sinks, drains, and toilet pipes if the situation gets out of hand.
Some Additional Tools To Help With Valve Maintenance
While these are essentially the only items you should carry in case of a plumbing emergency and are necessary, there are still more instruments that you should have in your tool kit.
Crescent Wrench
A crescent wrench is similar to the wrenches mentioned above, except they don’t have teeth. The size of its jaw can be increased or decreased with the thumb of an open check gear.
They work best when struggling with fixed positions, like adjusting multiple connectors of different sizes, because you don’t need to work with the jaw opening constantly.
Caulk Gun
Although a caulk gun is expensive, it can save you a lot of money in the long run. Caulk guns can cover all the cracks that cause leaks through the walls of bathtubs, showers, or sinks.
Duct Tape
Duct tape isn’t a miracle worker, but it can temporarily prevent a lot of damage while you wait for a professional to arrive.
Teflon Tape
Although duct tape can help till you fix the problem permanently, having Teflon tape can be a more long-lasting solution. It is also referred to as “plumber’s tape” and helps you seal the cracks of leaky pipes.
Buckets
Imagine having a plumbing emergency at 2 AM. Not cool, right? So yes, keeping some basic equipment never hurts in times of crisis. Make sure you have it where you can find it when needed.
However, as a first step, you must practice caution before going all in with your tool kit.
A Word Of Advice
Although important, a toolkit full of essential tools can only do so much. It is necessary to maintain your plumbing lines by having them inspected regularly.
Moreover, in case of a plumbing leak, deal with the situation calmly, as panicking will only make things worse. This can be done by looking for the valves and turning them off. In case of a pipe burst, inspect the leak, take the necessary tools out of your toolkit and prevent further damage as you wait for professional help.
Superior Plumbing And Drains To Your Rescue
Having essential plumbing tools and learning how they work can save you a lot of trouble. In any case, don’t wait around or experiment with tools and solutions if you cannot handle them alone. The sooner you call a professional plumber, the better. It could also save the situation from worsening and causing additional damage to the materials.
Get in touch with us to fix your house’s plumbing issues.
