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Project Difficulty:
Moderate
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The information given here will help identify the special tools you'll need to maintain, repair, and update your home plumbing system. The tools are grouped according to use. Not covered here are all-purpose tools that you probably own, such as needle-nosed pliers, box wrenches, screwdrivers, and so on, that can also be used in the course of plumbing jobs.
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1.
Clearing Clogged Drains
Plungers, augers, and snakes are all useful for clearing clogged drains. Also called a plumber's helper or plumber's friend, a plunger is the first tool you should try for clearing a clogged toilet, sink, lavatory, tub, shower, or floor drain. Those with a bulb or flange fit very well into the hole of a toilet bowl. Plungers rely on suction to move and dislodge the clog. (Fig. 1)
Augers and snakes, available in various designs and sizes, are inserted into a drain line and physically break up and/or move what is clogging the line. An auger is better than a snake for unclogging a toilet; a snake (also known as a trap-and-drain auger) is more flexible and is preferred for use in sinks. Power-driven devices are also available. (Fig. 2)
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2.
Cutting and Preparing Pipes and Tubing
To cut metal or plastic pipe, use a hacksaw. For 1/8- to 1/4-inch-diameter pipes, select a blade that has 24 teeth to the inch; for 1/2- to 1-inch-diameter pipes, work with a blade having 16 teeth to the inch. To cut copper tubing, use a tubing cutter; a small one is great for cutting tubing in close quarters, such as at a wall, wall stud, or floor joist. (Fig. 3)
If you need to eliminate burrs on the inside of tubing or pipe, use a reamer; for burrs on the outside of a pipe or tubing, a curved-tooth file (not shown) will work. To remove burrs from valve seats of compression faucets, use a faucet seat reamer to, essentially, grind and smooth the faucet valve seat. (If the valve seat is damaged beyond repair, the faucet has to be replaced). (Fig. 4)
To minimize crushing or causing a restriction in the tubing, use a tube bender to put bends into copper tubing. To assure that a flared joint formed by copper tubing won't leak, work with a flaring tool to form a bell-shaped end in the tube that will mate securely with a corresponding flare-type valve or fitting. (Fig. 5)
Taps form threads around the inside diameter of a fitting; dies form threads around the outside diameter of a pipe. Taps are also handy in faucet stem repair. (Fig. 6)
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3.
Holding and/or Turning Tools
A monkey wrench is ideal for loosening a fitting or valve that won't turn under the pressure of an open-end or adjustable wrench. Its narrow, smooth jaws will fit into tight places and won't damage the pipe. A pipe wrench is useful for turning iron pipes and removing nuts and fittings that are to be discarded, because its serrated jaws may damage the pipe. (Fig. 7)
A basin wrench is great for grasping and turning nuts that hold faucets to sinks; its swivel head can be wormed into spaces that prove too confining for other wrenches. The smooth-jawed spud wrench is for turning large, flat-sided nuts, like those that hold drainpipes in place beneath sinks, or when working on delicate trim, such as plated fixture traps. (Fig. 8)
Both a chain wrench and a strap wrench can be used in close quarters. The chain wrench will turn heavy metal pipes that can withstand the pressure of the chain. A strap wrench does not have serrated jaws that could damage pipes, but it should not be used on pipes assembled with pipe wrenches because the pipe wrench may have tightened the pipe to a greater force than can be exerted with a strap wrench. (Fig. 9)
A faucet seat wrench is used for removing seats of compression faucets that are designed with replaceable seats. A deep faucet stem wrench might be needed to loosen and tighten stems of bathtub and shower faucets in order to replace their washers. (Fig. 10)
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