They say that plumbing issues should always be left to professionals, but what happens when you discover a problem with your pipes that requires immediate attention? You can’t just call a plumber and do nothing else while you have a burst pipe or a backed-up septic system making a mess in your home, can you? While you should always call a plumbing professional when disaster strikes, you should at least make an attempt to keep the damage to a minimum while you wait for a plumber to arrive.
Every home should have some kind of home plumbing kit handy in case of emergencies. It doesn’t have to be too fancy, either. All you need are some essentials that will help you fix minor plumbing problems and keep major problems from getting out of hand. Here are some things that should prove useful in a plumbing emergency.
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A Bucket
Yes, a bucket. It may sound laughably simple and obvious, but a five-gallon bucket is one of the most useful things that can go into a plumber emergency kit. Not only can it be used to hold tools, but it can also be used to catch water if your pipes spring a leak.
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Plungers
It should also come as no surprise that you will need plungers in your plumbing kit. A regular plunger has a lot of suction power and will work in most cases, but a forced cup plunger should also be in your kit for taking care of clogged sinks or toilets.
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Wrenches, Pliers and Other Tools
A good home plumber kit should have a good assortment of tools including an adjustable wrench, a pair of medium sized slip-joint pliers and a multi-bit screwdriver. Technically, the multi-bit screwdriver isn’t necessary, but it will cut down on the number of tools you will need to keep in your kit. It also won’t hurt to have an assortment of Allen wrench keys in your toolkit.
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Duct Tape or Sealing Tape
As much as people like to say otherwise, duct tape is not a permanent solution to a plumbing problem. However, it does make for a great temporary solution. Both kinds of tape will help stop leaks and hold pipes together until you can get them repaired properly.
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Rags and Paper Towels
Whenever you work to fix a plumbing problem, you’re going to make a mess. Make sure to have plenty of rags and paper towels to clean up water from small leaks.
