The basic home plumber toolkit
We would be the first to say that you shouldn’t mess around with things that you are not comfortable doing. If you have a hand full of thumbs then you may not want to take on too many home projects. However, there are plenty of small and easy tasks you can take on with relative ease, such as changing a shower head or aerator on your kitchen faucet. To take on even these small tasks you have to have a few basic tools in your home toolkit.
A home tool kit may consist of a dozen tools depending on what type of projects you want to try to take on. If you are brave enough to take on some minor plumbing issues, there are some basic tools and equipment you must have. These tools will not allow you to take on all issues, but it will cover the basics.
Locking pliers, also called channel locks. This will do the same job as an adjustable wrench, but the locking handles can come in handy when you need more than 2 hands to get a job done.
Before putting a pair of pliers on any fixture, read our post on “Using the Pliers”.
Needle nose pliers. It is always good to have a pair of needle nose pliers. They are great in tight spots and let you handle detail work and grab on to those small parts and pieces.
Plumbers Tape. Also called Teflon tape, this white tape is great to have around. Teflon tape is great for ensuring a good seal on threaded pipes, like on a showerhead.
Plumbers putty. This putty is good for creating a water tight seal on unpressurized pipes such as sink drains.
Basin wrench. This wrench is designed for hard to reach places such as under a sink.
Caulk and caulk gun. There are so many uses for caulk around the house, such as when you replace a sink or repair the tile seams in the shower.