Seven Plumbing Supplies, You Absolutely, Positively Must Have on Hand At All Times!While many of us would prefer to call in a professional plumber rather than risk flooding the kitchen, bathroom, laundry or entire home for that matter, there are plenty of simple plumbing repairs and adjustments you can make on your own in a pinch—if you have the right tools.
The following are seven essential plumbing supplies that Horizon Services recommends that you should have in your home that will allow you to fix common problems and handle many plumbing emergencies without necessarily having to hire a pro.
The following are seven essential plumbing supplies that Horizon Services recommends that you should have in your home that will allow you to fix common problems and handle many plumbing emergencies without necessarily having to hire a pro.
- A Plumbing Repair Kit: Most home improvement, hardware stores, and plumbing supply retailers carry especially designed plumbing repair kits that will provide the tools and equipment you need to fix many common plumbing problems. Toilet and sink repair kits include all the basic parts and materials required to repair most simple issues. Having these on hand will leave you much better prepared to deal with a dripping faucet, a running toilet, water that won’t shut off and many other common plumbing problems.
- Plumber’s Putty: This substance is a temporary cure-all for a variety of common household plumbing problems. Though it’s not meant to provide a permanent solution, plumber’s putty is perfect for sealing minor leaks and minimizing water damage until you can get a plumber to take a look at the problem, or perform more permanent plumbing repairs yourself. Plumber’s putty is sold at most hardware and home improvement stores.
- Pipe Epoxy: Similar to putty, pipe epoxy will temporarily plug holes in pipes and hoses until a more permanent plumbing repair can be done. The difference between putty and epoxy is that the latter can generally be used on wet or dry surfaces, and the bond it forms is more secure. Epoxy can be difficult to remove, though, so it should be used sparingly and with care.
- Pipe Wrench: Sometimes a leaky faucet is caused by something as simple as a loosened nut or bolt. A pipe wrench lets you get at hard-to-reach places, and is long enough to reach and hold those distant pipes located at the back of your cabinets or walls.
- Nuts, Bolts, and Washers: Perhaps the most inexpensive piece of plumbing equipment ever, it’s almost insane not to have extra fasteners on hand for plumbing and household emergencies. Small and easy to store, nuts, bolts, and washers are plumbing essentials that you can never have too many of.
- A Drain Snake: Clogged drains and plugged toilets can bring a household to a stand-still. A drain snake is the quickest and most effective way to eliminate clogs without the use of harsh chemicals or dissolving agents. Untreated clogs can lead to more serious drain and plumbing problems, which can cost thousands to repair. A decent snake won’t cost you more than $20 or so; compact packaging means you can keep the snake wrapped up and tucked away until you need it.
- A Fully-Equipped Toolbox: Having all your plumbing supplies in one place can save tons of hassle when you need to repair a leaky toilet in the middle of the night. Be sure to have the basic tools, too. Screwdrivers, both Phillips head and flat, wrenches of varying sizes, screws, hammers, a level, tape measure, etc. Keeping everything together in a toolbox will ensure you have the right plumbing tool handy when you need it most.
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