Construction & Contractors Blog
As a new homeowner, especially if you own an older home, you will quickly find out something needs fixing almost weekly. Knobs fall off of cabinet doors, a piece of tile comes unglued, or the bathroom sink gets clogged. It's important to have some basic tools so you can potentially take care of the small jobs yourself. In addition to your basic hammer and screwdrivers, it's also good to have a few tools specific to minor plumbing issues. Here are four must-have plumbing tools that should be in your toolbox.
Channel Locking Pliers
Locking pliers work similarly to a vise grip. They can come in handy if you are having a hard time getting a thread undone in a wet and slippery area. Because they are "locked" on, you can focus more of your energy and strength into turning it. They are useful in situations like removing the old shower head that may be cemented on with hard water deposits.
Basin Wrench
A basin wrench is essentially a wrench at the end of a telescoping shaft. You can also get one with specific fixed lengths. It is useful for areas that are really tight and difficult to get into. With a basin wrench, you can use it under your sink, in areas that are tight and cramped, where other nearby pipes prevent any room for lateral movement with regular wrenches.
Plumber's Tape
Plumber's tape is a very thin, white tape made of Teflon. It is used to wrap around the threads on pipes for a tighter seal. The extremely thin tape will fill in the tiny little gaps in the male and female threads, giving you a watertight seal. So, for example, once you removed your old shower head, you would use plumber's tape on the new showerhead and shower pipe threads to create a tight seal. This will also help ensure maximum water pressure. Be sure to not get the tape over the end of the pipe, however, as this will reduce water pressure.
Plumber's Putty
With plumber's putty, you can create a water-resistant seal in areas that aren't under high water pressure. For example, when you install a new kitchen sink, the sink drains are held down in the sink with plumber's putty. They are then further fastened underneath the sink where they attach to the rest of the drain pipes.
While changing the shower head or putting in a new kitchen sink is a fairly straight-forward job for the basic do-it-yourselfer, plumbing repairs can be a messy and complicated job. Leave more advanced problems and projects to a professional plumber.
Share10 August 2017
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
