If you've had excellent plumbing work done on your home, you may have wondered just how a plumber pulled off the job with little equipment in such a short time. In fact, the pros who work on homes and businesses in the Atlanta area pride themselves on carrying only the most useful of plumbing tools at all times. Here are seven items that you'll find in any pro plumber's tool kit and the purposes they serve.
1. Adjustable pipe wrench
Plumbers use a pipe wrench to get the proper amount of leverage needed to separate pipes. Using the pipe wrench's teeth, a plumber can maintain his grip as the wrench tightens or loosens a pipe in the fitting's grooves. This classic plumber's tool is indispensable.
2. Channellock pliers
Channellock pliers, also called tongue-and-groove pliers or water-pump pliers, are another essential tool for a plumber. They are used to grip knobs with serrated grooves, such as the ones that supply water to a sink. Before going to work on faucet or sink issues, plumbers need to cut the water supply with these pliers.
3. Pipe cutters
To fit a properly sized pipe or remove damaged plastic piping, a plumber may need to cut through plumbing materials. Pipe cutters make that happen. A ratcheting device at the end locks this tool in place, allowing a plumber to cut pipes with precision.
4. Toilet auger
Plumbers have to fix all sorts of problems in toilets. When a standard toilet plunger won't clear up a clog, pros turn to a toilet auger. An auger has a bit at the end that removes the blockage inside the toilet, while a hand crank allows a plumber leverage to work it farther inside the pipes.
5. Sink auger
A sink auger serves the same purpose as a toilet auger but is only for use on clogged sinks. Also called a snake or canister auger, the auger sits on the drain while the plumber screws a cable at the end into the pipes. For heavy blockage in large pipes, a plumber may turn to a motorized snake.
6. Faucet wrenches
A plumber must carry different wrenches to repair leaks and drips in disc faucets, ball faucets, cartridge faucets and compression faucets.
7. Drain camera
When a plunger or auger can't remove a clog, a plumber has to turn to sophisticated equipment, such as a drain camera. This device slips inside plumbing at the end of an auger to show plumbers the source of the blockage.
Whether you need a faucet leak corrected or more complicated drain inspections, the pros have plumbing tools in their kits for fast and easy fixes. Turn to RooterPLUS! for the best in plumbing work.
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