When you own a home, it is inevitable that plumbing issues will arise. If you are properly prepared for these issues with the right tools, you can handle a wide range of household leaks. In fact, you can save yourself around 10% on your water bill by fixing these leaks yourself. Make sure you are equipped for basic plumbing issues by having the following tools on hand:
- Rubber Gloves: Often overlooked, heavy-duty rubber gloves are absolutely indispensable for carrying out any type of plumbing project. They provide protection for your hands, wrists, and forearms to greatly reduce your chances of being injured by sharp objects.
- Tape Measure: Any plumbing repairs you complete require that you take precise measurements to successfully fix issues in tight spaces. Proper measurement helps you prevent easily avoidable mistakes that can be expensive, as well as inconvenient.
- Thread Seal Tape: Also known as plumber’s tape, Teflon tape, or PTFE tape, this tool can provide a temporary fix for many water leaks in addition to sealing pipe threads and can sometimes solve the issue completely.
- Plunger: This inexpensive, multi-purpose implement can be used not only for unclogging your toilet but also for unclogging your shower drain. It allows you to quickly deal with household clogs so you can avoid a significant mess and any water damage that goes along with it.
- Drain Snake: Also called a plumber’s snake, this flexible device is perfect for dislodging clogs in your plumbing system. You can effectively clear hair, product buildup, and other debris from your pipes without worrying about causing costly damage.
- Pipe Wrench and Basin Wrench: The adjustable jaws on the heavy-duty pipe wrench allow it to easily grip and rotate pipes. With a long handle and a pair of jaws at the end, the basin wrench makes it possible to turn fasteners in enclosed spaces and often is the only tool that can access hard-to-reach areas.
- Slip-Joint Pliers: This tool features two sets of teeth that are useful for gripping small objects like jewelry that may become lost down your drain.
Household leaks cause substantial water waste, increase utility bills, and can cause widespread damage. Build yourself a home plumbing toolkit with the items listed above, and you will be prepared to handle a variety of simple household plumbing tasks. Even with these tools, however, some plumbing issues are too complicated to handle on your own. In this case, give Mr. Rooter a call at (409) 203-3909.