Crucial Plumbing Tools & Supplies You Should Always Have in Your Home

Plumbing emergencies have the potential to go from bad to worse in the blink of an eye. Whether it’s a dripping faucet, a leaky pipe, or a clogged drain, all these issues demand prompt attention to keep them from escalating.

Of course, enlisting the help of plumbing companies in Rancho Santa Fe is always the best course of action in emergency situations. While professionals are quick to respond, your swift reaction can provide temporary relief while you await their arrival.

However, to be able to buy those precious few minutes that make the difference, you’ll need to have at least the most basic plumbing tools handy – which is exactly what this guide is all about. Let’s dive in and see what you need to lower the urgency of plumbing emergencies.

What are the most handy plumbing tools?

The best thing about plumbing tools on this list is that they are incredibly cheap and easy to use. That’s right – you can build up a nice arsenal of tools for just a few dollars and you don’t have to be a pro plumber to utilize them to the fullest. Here’s what you should go for:

Protective equipment

Safety first! Plumbing is dirty work and often entails working with grime, chemicals, and sharp edges. Therefore, you should have a pair of quality gloves to protect your hands from injuries. A pair of safety goggles is also highly recommended to protect your eyes from splashes.

Plunger

It doesn’t get any more basic than this. A humble plunger may be simple but, when unexpected clogs strike – it is indispensable. This tool is simple to use, yet it can resolve minor blockages in your sinks, drains, and toilets quite effectively.

Drain auger

More commonly known as “plumber’s snake”, this tool is your next line of defense in situations where the plunger just doesn’t cut it. Its design allows it to reach deeper down the pipes and break the clogs without the need to dismantle half of your home’s piping system.

Wrenches

Whether they be a professional or an amateur, every plumber must have at least these three wrenches in their arsenal:

• Pipe wrench: An indispensable tool, the pipe wrench is crucial for gripping and turning pipes, as well as working with larger fittings. 
• Adjustable wrench: The jack-of-all-trades in the wrench world, this versatile tool allows you to work with nuts and bolts of many different sizes. 
• Basin wrench: The design of this tool makes it ideal for working with bolts and nuts located in tight or hard-to-reach spaces.

Pliers

Specifically, you want to go for adjustable (Channelock) pliers. Like an adjustable wrench, this piece of equipment can adapt to different sizes of fittings, nuts, bolts, and pipes, replacing an entire set of wrenches with one compact tool.

Cartridge puller

There are many different shapes and sizes of faucet cartridges – but there’s also a universal cartridge puller. This simple tool makes quick work of many of them, even if they’re old, damaged, and stubborn.

Supplies

No plumber’s arsenal would be complete without some basic supplies. Here, we have three items: plumber’s tape, plumber’s putty, and caulk. Pros use these supplies to strengthen the connections between pipes and fixtures, as well as help with leak prevention. While these essentially serve the same purpose, they’re used in slightly different applications:

• Plumber’s tape (Teflon tape or PTFE tape) is typically used to seal pipe threads;
• Plumber’s putty can be used around faucets, drains, and similar plumbing fixtures;
• Caulk is used to seal joints, edges, and seams around plumbing fixtures such as sinks, tubs, and showers.

Who’s the leader among plumbing companies near me in Rancho Santa Fe?

San Diego Emergency Plumbing & Leak Detection is a trusted provider of expertise-based plumbing services, serving Rancho Santa Fe and surrounding communities. Our team of licensed professionals is on standby 24/7, ready to assist in a nick of time.

Whether it’s time to replace your old piping, conduct a thorough drain camera inspection, or install a new sump pump, we’re here to ensure the job is done and done right! Reach out to us today to secure your property and your peace of mind!