Plumbing Tools

Professional plumbers provide invaluable services to customers who need major plumbing problems fixed and fast to prevent property damage and unnecessary expenses. But it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a few plumbing tools of your own. Owning them can help with various minor fixes. Although, it is good to have these plumbing tools whenever you need to fix minor issues that happen. Like a dripping faucet or a stopped up toilet. They come in handy whenever a little plumbing issue happens.

Here are the 5 plumbing tools you should have that will help you handle simple leaks and clogs. Whether you are a seasoned or new homeowner, you’ll be glad you have them around when the time comes to use them.

You’ll relish the fact that you have a roll or two of plumber’s tape in your toolbox particularly when leaks arise. It can work as an emergency stop-gap for minor leaks originating from fixtures or fittings, but only temporarily until the plumber arrives. The tape is made from a material called Teflon and is usually used by plumbers on tapered thread joints to make the pipe joint leak free. When you wrap the plumbing tape around the threads of a tapered thread joint, it will fill in and seal the tiny gaps between the pipe threads to stop and prevent water from leaking. Some homeowners may use sticky duct take in the interim but plumbers tape offer a better solution since it’s waterproof. Teflon tape is also useful when replacing showerheads or fitting pipes back together.

Among your wrench collections should be an adjustable wrench. This is a multi-functional plumbing tool that you can use in a variety of ways depending on the problem on hand. The adjustable wrench has a firm jaw setting that allows you to loosen and tighten round and hexagonal-shaped nuts as well as bolts, supply lines, and other fittings of different sizes. All you have to do is adjust the jaw of the wrench wider or smaller as needed until it fits snugly over the pipe connections or fittings you’re working on. There are grooves on the inside of the jaw that help to prevent the tool from slipping while you’re working on loosening or tightening a bolt or nut. You can totally get both the six-inch and 10-inch adjustable wrenches to make your minor plumbing fixes easier.

Of all the plumbing tools you can get for yourself, a basin wrench also called a sink wrench is a must-have. It has a pivoting head with a claw that is designed to reach and grip nuts and other plumbing fastenings without you having to get into awkward positions. This wrench is not a piece you’ll find in a standard wrench set, but once you get it you’ll appreciate how versatile it is. It’s perfect for loosening and tightening pipe fittings or fastenings such as the nuts and bolts that secure your faucets or the drain pipes underneath the sink. Because of the height, diameter, and location of some pipe fittings, your normal wrenches won’t be ideal for the job. The basin wrench is able to reach, remove, and replace fastenings that would be difficult or impossible to get done with other wrenches.

The flange and cup-shaped plungers are essential plumbing tools that should be in every bathroom. They are both designed to clear clogging in the plumbing system. However, a flange plunger is used specifically for clearing clogged up toilets while a cup plunger unclogs sinks, showers, and tubs. Both are made with rubber at the bottom of a stick or plastic handle. However, the cup plunger works on flat surfaces such as the drainage area inside the sink. It won’t work on the concave surface inside the toilet bowl, even though some homeowners have mistakenly used it to unclog their toilet. Both plungers work by creating a vacuum that seals the drain pipe of the clogged sink or toilet. Plunging the tool up and down creates suction that helps to dislodge debris preventing drainage flow. Just be mindful to use the cup plunger for the sink and the flange plunger for the toilet bowl.

These two plumbing tools can be used separately or together. An auger and a plumbing snake are used to unclog drains when an average plunger is unable to do the job. The auger is usually used for the toilet while the snake is more appropriate for clogged sinks, showers, and bathtubs. You’ll need to insert the snake cable as far as possible into the drain. Once it finds hair or other tapped debris, you then hook it and turn the crank to securely remove the waste. Nevertheless, you can still use the drain snake to hook and pull debris out of the toilet drain.

For major plumbing problems, hire a professional plumber who has the training and expertise to diagnose the problem and the right plumbing tools to fix it without causing any damage to your drainage system. For example, low water pressure or smelly water are both issues the pros should handle. These problems are usually more complex than they appear to be. Our professional plumbers at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing will know what to look for and the exact plumbing tools to use to quickly fix whatever needs to be fixed.

Don’t hesitate to call in our trained plumbing and repairs specialists at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. We’ll be happy to pick up from where you left off and ensure everything is back to normal in no time. We come prepared with all the necessary plumbing tools and equipment to get the job done efficiently. We also do plumbing repairs to stop and prevent water damage and new installations to make your plumbing system run more efficiently. All plumbing repairs and installations are 100% guaranteed. Call today to schedule an appointment for regular or emergency plumbing or repair services.