Best Plumbing tools 2022
Don’t we all love it when there is a properly functioning toilet or sink available when you are out and about or even at home? The disappointment you go through when you need to use a bathroom, find one, and then realize it’s broken is intense. Wherever there are sinks, pipes, toilets, baths, and air conditioning, there will be a need for plumbers. And plumbers are constantly faced with challenges like navigating tight spaces, avoiding health hazards, and other issues. You need to be at the top of your game, and for that, you will need to learn where you can build your skillsets, which states get you the best plumber salaries, and a comprehensive plumbing tools list that works the best for you.
Homeowners today are adopting innovative technology and appliances in their homes, thus bringing high-tech kitchen and bathroom equipment for plumbers to operate. Whether you are a professional master plumber or just trying to take care of and improve your home through DIY projects, you will need the right plumbing tools to help solve your problems. This guide will help you understand how to pick tools that will fix your plumbing problem and leave your customers satisfied with your service and efficiency. With this plumbing tools list, you will know all the essential plumbing tools you need to own and create the ultimate Plumber’s tool kit.
Safety tools
Regardless of your industry, as a technician, it is your responsibility to gear up with the necessary safety plumbing equipment before going on a job. This is crucial for your own and your customers’ safety. As a plumber, here are a few vital safety tools you must carry in your plumbing toolbox while on a service job.
Detector equipment
Every technician should have detection equipment for gases like smoke and carbon monoxide. Toxic gases, vapors, or oxygen leaks can be a hazard that a reliable gas detector can avoid.
Proper safety attire (uniform, footwear, and hard hats)
No matter which industry you work in, donning the proper attire is an essential part of the job. You should be dressed in the correct uniform along with the appropriate footwear and hard hats. This not only keeps you safe from any physical hazards you might encounter, whether you are working in a commercial or residential sector, but also will exhibit professionalism and efficiency to your customers. They will trust you and your services more, making it profitable for your business.
Face masks
Technicians must carry multiple types of masks, as the requirements can differ. A disposal face mask can be used while sawing or sanding, and if you are handling chemicals, you will require heavy-duty respiratory protection equipment.
Gloves
Gloves ensure that your hands always have a firm grip and that dangerous materials don’t leave stains on your skin. Plumbers are exposed to things that no one wants to touch with their bare hands. Heavy-duty gloves protect a plumber’s hands, make it easier for them to handle slippery objects, and provide several other advantages.
Goggles
If you don’t want your eyes to be splattered and squirted on, carry safety goggles since plumbers have to deal with all things liquid and semi-liquid. So you must wear the appropriate eye protection tool when working with leaks and pipes.
Heat shields
These prevent heat damage or fire while soldering, safeguarding plumbers and the surrounding area. When working with hot asphalt, welding pipes, or damp environments, you can place these pads underneath your body to protect it. Heat shields or pads can be used to support your legs.
Flashlights and headlamps
The job profile of a plumber may lead you to some small and dark places like attics, sewers, bowels of the kitchen sink, and more, and possessing a trusty flashlight or, even better, a headlamp will make your job so much easier.
Top Plumbing Hand Tools
A plumber’s essential plumbing tools can be divided into three categories. Any plumbers tool set should have pipework plumbing tools, wrenches, and clog cleaning and draining plumbing tools. The plumbing tools list we made for each category comprises the best tools for plumbing.
1. Pipework tools
Hacksaw
Plumbers use hacksaws to cut sheet metal, pipes, nuts, screws, and bolts. This tool has various blades, including a standard blade for softer metals without iron, a raker blade for cutting through thick metals, and a wavy blade for working with hard, thin metals.
Tube cutter
Plumbers use a specific cutting range tool to cut through plastic tubing. It can be operated with one hand. Both inexperienced and seasoned plumbers can choose from various handheld tubes and plastic pipe cutters to find the one that works best for them. Tube cutters enable specialists to operate with less force and accelerate and simplify pipe work.
Pipe bender
It is a plumber tool that bends various types of pipes and tubes. Any soft metal tubing can be bent and molded with the aid of a pipe bender without the tube kinking or flattening. When plumbers are installing pipes, pipe benders provide precision.
Metal file
A metal file is one of the most excellent plumbing tools for cutting metal. Metal files come in single-cut and double-cut varieties. Plumbers use metal files to round off sharp edges.
Pliers
Since they are used practically daily, pliers are a must. You can use them to tighten and loosen nuts and bolts too small for your wrench to handle.
Thread sealing tape
The thread sealing tape is the best Plumber tool for fixing holes, tears, and leaks. This tape seals pipe threads and keeps gas, oil, water, and oxygen within. To lessen the risk of contamination typical with liquid and paste sealants, be sure to use non-toxic and inflammable tape.
Deburring tool
This device removes burrs and sharp edges from the copper pipe’s outside. Your copper pipes need to be deburred for several reasons. In addition to damaging seals or preventing joints from being watertight, sharp edges can also cause turbulence in water pipes, resulting in corrosion.
Emery cloth
It is a fine, natural abrasive used on metal for cleaning and burr removal, stripping and rust removal, finishing, and polishing.
2.Wrenches
Adjustable wrench
An adjustable wrench is necessary for regular labor because it gives you much flexibility. They go by several names, such as crescent or adjustable spanner. It can tighten or loosen hexagonal pipe fittings and nuts. Your toolset will become even more unbeatable if you have the small, medium, and large sizes.
Basin wrench
A basin wrench is the ideal plumbing tool for removing or installing a faucet. Standard wrenches are inadequate when attempting to reach nuts, typically positioned low and on the underside of the sink, beneath the basin.
Faucet key
It is a plumbing tool with an X form to open and close sill cocks and spigots.
It is a straightforward tool frequently used by plumbers, builders, and engineers to open hose bibs and sillcocks impervious to tampering. These outside water faucets are on practically all residential, commercial, and industrial structures.
Torque wrench
A nut, bolt, or lag screw is torqued to a precise degree using a torque wrench. It usually takes the shape of a socket wrench with unique internal mechanisms.
Pipe wrench
These are handy on threaded pipes, usually galvanized steel, black iron, or similar metal pipes. They are also used to secure connections for natural gas and plumbing. A pro tip would be to use aluminum handle wrenches that weigh much less.
Open-end wrench
A permanent broad hole is present on both ends of the jaws of an open-end wrench. One of the best plumbing tools for navigating confined spaces is this one. Technicians can access the side of nuts or bolts that a socket or box wrench would find challenging to reach because of the U-shaped aperture.
Box end wrench
Box-end wrenches have sockets for nuts and bolts on both ends. They often have 6, 8, 12, or 16 points inside the cranium. Because they enable you to work on recessed bolts in constrained places, these wrenches are an alternative to U-shaped twists.
Garbage disposal wrench
This one is one of the best plumbing tools for clearing essential jams quickly and efficiently. The internal blockages can be broken away without causing any damage to the disposal by placing the wrench into the bottom of the disposal.
Press fitting system
Press fits save costs and save time. Press fittings allow connections to be created far more quickly than welding or soldering.
By physically pressing two pipes together, these fitting systems create a seal that prevents water from leaking.
Although there are various techniques to seal pipes, this is the most practical and affordable one.
3.Clog cleaning tools
Plungers
These are everyday home items to unclog various drain obstructions. Drain obstructions are a typical plumbing issue. Thus drain plungers provide a very efficient, low-cost, and simple way to clear drains.
Hand auger
Sink and bathtub drains can be cleaned using hand augers. Because the wire could harm the toilet bowl and flush toilets have relatively big drain pipes, where the narrow snake could become caught, they are not ideal for flush toilets.
Drain inspection camera
Using a drain or sewer inspection camera, your plumbing crew can locate a leak. You will benefit more if the Plumber can identify the leak quickly. Plumbing leaks that go unnoticed cost money and seriously harm your house.
Hydro jet machine
The initial method for unclogging obstructed lines is usually hydro jetting, which employs high-speed, high-pressure water to eliminate obstructions in pipe systems.
Speciality Plumbing tools
The plumbing tools list below contains some power tools and advanced equipment that plumbing professionals can require and use daily. So while they can be a bit expensive, you should ensure that your Plumber’s tool kit includes these plumbing tools.
Hole saw kit
Cutting perfectly round holes in various materials requires a hole saw.
An annular saw blade known as a hole dozer may drill through various materials, including wood, plastic, aluminum, and metal. It is a cordless tool with multiple hole sizes. This makes cutting faster, with 25% more holes per charge and less downtime between charges.
Plumbers torch
Some plumbers use solder to seal copper pipework.
A powerful heat source is necessary for soldering.
A plumber’s torch is a tiny, portable device that you can use to direct high heat.
This may apply to particular regions while installing or replacing new piping, soldering, and sealing.
Borescope
This device consists of a tiny camera attached to a flexible cable. To view the issue, you insert it into a drain and sewer pipes. These days, many models allow you to use them directly from your smartphone, which is convenient. It merely highlights the issue; you are then on your own to identify it and determine a solution.
Crimper
When working with PEX plumbing of any kind, these crimpers are necessary. It is crucial to keep a pair of crimpers in your toolbox just in case, as this type of pipe is becoming more and more widespread. They can also be used to connect two pieces of metal or other types of piping. They can also be used to bend the pipes to support one another.
Snake machine.
These motorized, larger hand augers are available.
They can be utilized for difficult clogs and are more pleasant to handle than a hand auger.
Compared to a hand auger, they are considerably more powerful.
Caulk gun
Seals around sinks and bathtubs need to be repaired, and you’ll likely need to fix them at some point.
Using a caulk gun gives you superb application precision while allowing you to hold the caulk tube in place.
PEX pipe expanders
This unusual pipe arrangement is significantly more straightforward to use than conventional 1pipes. It is stretchable and can be used to extend the pipe’s mouth with a drill-like tool. After that, a metal fitting can be put in. The line immediately closes around the metal fitting because it holds its shape after being stretched and forms a seal that prevents water from passing through.
Miscellaneous and Business Plumbing Tools
You may also wish to add a few items to your toolkit. Numerous of these are not necessary. Most basic plumbing tasks may be completed without them. However, they can significantly simplify your job if you have the extra cash and room.
Bucket
You will need a vessel to store the water you may have to drain or contain things you cannot leave on the floor. It’s always better to have a bucket handy.
Pressure gauge
These are utilized to inspect for leaks and issues with water pressure. Even the typical homeowner should have these on hand because they are crucial when you need to check the water pressure.
Stubby screwdriver
Plumbers operate in confined places. It is frequently required to use a stubby screwdriver to access screws in confined spaces. Without one of these crucial tools, you might be left scrambling to figure out how to access that challenging screw.
Jab saw
The jab saw’s unique downward-cutting teeth reduce cutting time in half. This saw makes it simple to cut a straight line and is excellent for cutting plastic, drywall, and other building materials.
Plumbing field service management software
Starting and managing your own plumbing contractor business is not easy. There are multiple aspects to look after, and procuring software for these needs is today’s most common and logical option. Be it for scheduling and dispatching jobs, invoices & quotes, job management, accounting, and more, you will need optimal software for all these tasks. But do you need to manage various software for these diverse business needs?
Smartservs Plumbing software enables you to handle all your business requirements through one platform.
