If you are one of the millions of Americans who gets out and does holiday shopping during this time of year, you probably have a whole bunch of people on your list. Someone who has everything … someone who wants everything.
It is estimated that Americans spend an average of around $450 on holiday gift giving. And, most of that spending is concentrated in these few weeks when the stores are promoting their biggest sales. But, if you are going to be out shopping for gifts for others, why not concentrate a little bit of that money on your home plumbing maintenance kit?
The sales this time of year are not just for toys and electronics. In fact, pretty much every store has something in all of their departments on sale this time of year. While you are out, shop around and take advantage of these great deals for getting the following basic plumbing tools in your toolbox:
- Basin wrench. These tools are worth their weight. They do just what their name says. They loosen and tighten the nuts that hold sink faucets in place. At the end of a long shaft is a jaw that clamps down and swivels, allowing it to reach deep into crowded under the sink cabinet spaces and get a loose fitting tightened up. No other tool can compare. This tool is essential to have in your home plumbing repair kit.
- Hand Auger. These tools are most commonly referred to as a plumber’s snake. It is made to clear stubborn clogs and is the tool of choice before any kind of over the counter drain clearing chemical. The long, flexible 25-foot tubing goes easily down the drain while the handle is cranked to spin the clearing bulb on the end and push clogs through the line. When a plunger doesn’t quite do the trick, make sure you have this tool as back up.
- Plunger. If you don’t have one in every bathroom and under each sink cabinet, you should. Plungers come in various styles but, also in different sizes. There are plungers specifically for the toilet, and then smaller versions for the sink. Make sure you have one of each. Spending a little extra on your plunger is going to be worth it the first time you have a clogged sink. So, don’t just grab the first one you see that is the cheapest.
There are hundreds of items on sale this time of year, including some pretty great buys on practical items like plumbing tools. Make sure to add a couple of these to your shopping list and get your plumbing maintenance repair kit ready for the cold weather.