Not every plumbing predicament requires a professional plumber. A number of problems can be handled by the average homeowner with little plumbing experience required. However, to do the job right, you’ll need the right plumbing tools. These are the essential plumbing tools that no household should be without.
Plumber’s Tape
If you need your sink, tub, or water line reinforced, then plumber’s tape, also known as thread seal tape, is the way to go. It will go a long way toward preventing water leaks in Springfield Missouri, and it’s inexpensive to boot. Make sure the male threads at the end of the pipe are clean, then wrap the tape around the pipe four to six times in the opposite direction of how the pipe turns in the fitting.
Plunger
A basic clog requires the most basic of plumbing tools: the trusty plunger. It’s so trusty, in fact, that it’s good to have one close by every toilet and sink in your home. Perhaps more importantly, make sure your sink plungers and your toilet plungers never get mixed up. That can lead to all sorts of problems you don’t want to deal with.
Drain Snake
What a plunger can’t do, a drain snake (probably) can. You can guide one of these handy tools through your pipes to reach deep-seated toilet clogs. It takes a bit of effort and precision, but the end result is more than worth the time.
Basin Wrench
Even with a multi-piece wrench set, the average wrench has tremendous difficulty reaching the threaded nuts that are often squeezed into tiny nooks and crannies to secure faucets to sinks. No wonder the basin wrench is often referred to as a sink wrench. With a long swiveling shaft and an adjustable clamp on the end, it’s quite the unusual-looking tool, but nonetheless incredibly beneficial to have in your toolbox.
Pipe Wrench
If you don’t already have one of these heavy-duty plumbing tools in your home and you plan on working on your plumbing, then you need to get one. Many fittings and pipes simply won’t budge without one. The hard, serrated teeth provide tremendous grip, though you want to be careful not to tighten the wrench too much, or risk damaging what you’re trying to tighten or loosen.
These are just a few of the handy tools you can keep in your home to deal with common household plumbing issues. Of course, there are many more tools out there, some more heavy-duty than others. If you don’t have the proper tool that you need for your plumbing problem, your friends here at United Plumbing are ready to lend a hand. Give us a call, and we’d be happy to stop by and put our tools to work for whatever you need.