A plumber’s belt does more than keep our pants up. It’s a hold-all for everything that’s needed to get the job done.
We’re not saying you need to run out and buy yourself a fancy belt on the off-chance that you need to fix a leaky pipe! But you should probably have a box set aside with the basic tools needed to fix most jobs around your house. Here’s our list of 10 essential items for your DIY plumbers kit.
DIY plumbers kit essential 1: Plunger
Top of any handyperson’s tool list for plumbing is a plunger. But did you know there are different types of plungers? And that you should have at least two of them?
For most people, the word plunger automatically conjures up an image of the red rubber bell on the end of a stick. This plunger is perfect for unblocking drains and showers, as they use a flat surface to create the vacuum that moves whatever’s clogged. They’re not particularly useful at unblocking toilets.
For that job, you need a flange plunger. Often called a ‘toilet plunger’, it has a fold-out flap that fits the curves and bends of toilets and sinks. The flap can be folded back up to use on drains.
So… if one tool does it all, then why would you need two? Simple! It’s not recommended that you use the same plunger to unblock the toilet and the kitchen sink. That’s just eww! (Otherwise known as the technical term for unhygienic.)
DIY plumbers kit essential 2: Wrench
Want to know another tool synonymous with plumbers? The pipe wrench. It’s also known as a ‘Stillson wrench’, and used for turning soft iron pipes and fittings with a rounded surface. What’s the difference between a monkey wrench and a pipe wrench, we hear you ask? The monkey wrench has a smooth surface, while the pipe wrench has teeth.
DIY plumbers kit essential 3: Tape
A must-have for any home fix-it job, plumber’s tape is also known as Teflon tape. It’s used to get a watertight seal on a threaded pipe joint. Now while the tape looks easy to use, there’s a right way and a wrong way to apply it. You need to make sure the tape is wrapped around the pipe in the opposite direction of how the pipe will turn in the fitting. Confused? You won’t be once you give it a go.
And if you’re out picking up some plumber’s tape, grab a couple of rolls of duct tape as well. In the case of emergencies, it’s an absolute winner for patching a leaking pipe until a plumber can get to you.
DIY plumbers kit essential 4: Spanner
Adjustable spanner, shifter, adjustable wrench or Crescent wrench – same tool, different name depending on where you come from in the world. It has one fixed end and a movable jaw that allows it to be used with different sizes of fasteners (nuts, bolts, etc). A spanner is a staple item for anyone serious about home repairs.
DIY plumbers kit essential 5: Pliers
Head to your nearest hardware store and you’ll find a large selection of pliers for your DIY plumber’s kit. What you really want are tongue and groove pliers. Other names for these include water pump pliers, adjustable pliers, or their brand name, Channellock. If you’re not up to carting a pipe wrench around, try to have two of these in your bag.
DIY plumbers kit essential 6: Hacksaw
Need to cut through metal pipe, plastic pipe, screws, nuts or bolts? A hacksaw is what you need! Make sure you keep some extra blades in the kit as well. You’ll need different blades depending on the types of metal you’ll be cutting.
DIY plumbers kit essential 7: Drain Auger/Plumber’s Snake
Have a sink or drain prone to blocking? Water not draining away fast enough? Consider buying an auger (or plumber’s snake) to help with the job. Depending on the age of the property and the state of the plumbing, you may want to consider having one for the toilet and one for the sinks.
DIY plumbers kit essential 8: Caulk & Caulking Gun
The most common caulk used by plumbers is silicone. It can be used to hold, seal and glue things together. To apply it, you’ll need to buy a caulking gun. You’ll want to keep two types of silicone in the kit – one to be used on the roof/guttering, and one that is a sanitary grade that can be used in kitchens, etc.
DIY plumbers kit essential 9: Screwdrivers
You can’t call yourself a DIY handyman and not have screwdrivers. Chances are you’ll have several because you’ll have purchased (or been given) a set that has a couple of different sizes for the different types of screws. But if you’re buying them individually, make sure you have at least two different types – Phillips and Slotted.
DIY plumbers kit essential 10: Old towels
It sounds crazy, but there’s nothing worse than a burst drain or overflowing toilet and not being able to quickly get your hands on the towels you can use to mop up the mess. Believe us, many an argument has been started over husbands not knowing which towels are the ‘good’ towels in the cupboard, or roommates using each other’s linen to tackle the nasty job! The easy answer is to keep a couple of old towels for this purpose in a bucket under the sink or in the garage. Problem solved.
So, there you have it. Our Top 10 Tool Essentials for the DIY Plumber.
But as any good handyman will tell you, you can never have too many tools for the job, so this really is a starting guide. The more work you do, the more tools you’ll know you need. It’s plumber’s law!
And remember, while there are some basic forms of maintenance and repair jobs that can be done with a DIY approach, there are others that need the Midas touch! Always call your plumber if you’re unsure.
Have we missed anything that you consider an essential? We’d love to know!
If you have a go-to tool for plumbing that we’ve missed, comment below and let us know – we’d love to add it to the list!
