Professional plumbers will do a lot more than fix leaky faucets and pipes. However, that kind of job can often become their bread and butter. But professionals will often find themselves in various situations working on jobs requiring their expertise. But expertise is often worthless if you don’t have the appropriate plumbing toolkit to execute them.
Here are some of the best plumbing tools that licensed plumbers can have in their arsenal. We will tell you why they are indispensable and how they can help you fix various plumbing issues that you may come across.
Cordless Drill/Driver
The Black and Decker LDX120C Cordless Drill/Driver has 11 torque settings. It is a versatile tool and reasonable choice to have among your plumbing tools and equipment, whether you are fixing screws or drilling holes. The LDX120C weighs in at 3.4 lbs, making it relatively light on your toolbelt. The smaller size can also help you get into tight spaces that you wouldn’t be able to reach with a larger drill.
The LDX120C also lets you adjust the speed through the trigger, giving you precisely the control you need in a given situation. The LDX120C’s two-year limited warranty gives you peace of mind and shows that Black and Decker truly believes in the product.
Wrenches
The tools most synonymous with plumbers may be wrenches. Wrenches are indispensable tools for any professional plumber. They are heavy pieces of kit that come in many shapes and sizes. While the type and size used may depend on the job at hand, there is one wrench all plumbers should carry with them: the pipe wrench.
The pipe wrench is arguably the largest wrench a plumber will have with them; considering its versatility, its presence is well-justified. These are typically employed to tighten nuts, fittings, and other forms of pipework. Most plumbers use two of them to get leverage to tighten nuts and bolts in hard-to-reach spots.
These are available in different lengths, and plumbers usually have a few on hand whenever they visit a job site.
Tubing Cutter
A tubing cutter is one of the most basic plumbing tools for a plumber. After all, you can’t lay pipes without cutting them to the appropriate sizes. Pipe cutting is where the RIDGID Model 103 comes into play. The Model 103 can cut pipes from ⅛” to ⅝,” used in most hot and cold water lines. Designed to cut through various piping materials, including aluminum, copper, and plastics, the RIDGID Model 103 is versatile, minimizing the need to carry multiple cutters for different jobs.
To use Model 103, mark where you need to cut the pipe, place it inside the shaper, and turn the knurled feed handle until it becomes tight. Now you can see the edge cut through the pipe, after which you can rotate the Model 103 around the pipe until you get a clean cut.
Tongue and groove pliers
Pliers are crucial to every plumber out there.
Many plumbing fittings are shaped like a hexagon, and the best way you can get a handle on them is to use a set of pliers. You will often find the Channellock 460 in many plumber’s kits.
The jaws of the Channellock 460 are carved out with a laser to give you a much better grip on whatever you are holding. From what we can see, the Channellock 460 has earned a rightful spot as one of the market’s best tongue and groove pliers.
Constructed from hardened 1080 steel, the jaws of the Channellock 460 can withstand rough use without suffering any damage.
The actuation of the pliers is smooth. You can adjust the width of the jaws to ensure broad compatibility with a variety of nuts. You can use these pliers as a plumbing crimping tool in a pinch, although you should have a separate crimper.
Channellock manufactures all of its items in the USA, ensuring that you are getting the very best in American engineering and manufacturing. Channellock also has a reputation for producing quality products.
Hacksaw
Hacksaws are for more than just cutting pipes. With a good hacksaw, you can cut through nuts, fasteners, screws, and more. Hacksaws can be dangerous if they have a dulled edge, so it is good to make sure the edge is sharp and have extra blades ready in the truck should you need to replace them mid-job.
Plumber’s torch
Plumber’s torches are small tools you can find with brands like Pex plumbing tools or Milwaukee plumbing tools that let plumbers seal and weld together metal pipes in tight spaces. Most plumber torches will run on acetylene, propane, or butane. Ensure that you have a spare canister in your truck before heading out for a job. If there are many welds to be completed, it helps to have an extra canister on hand before starting a job.
Hand auger
Alternatively, called a plumbing snake, a hand auger is among the specialty plumbing tools you want in your toolkit. The Drainx Pro Steel has a 25′ long steel cable with a bigger, curled end. Once you stick the cable into a pipe and start turning, it will remove any clogs in the pipe with just a little encouragement. Designed to clear out even the toughest clogs, the Drainx Pro is an essential piece of kit that you will want in your arsenal.
Intended to be simple and easy to use, the Pro Steel is only 4 lbs, helping reduce the total weight of the kit that you have to carry on a job. You can find hand augers with brands like Ridgid plumbing tools.
Conclusion
The list of instruments that a plumber could use and need could be a lot longer. There are plumbing press tools and plumb bob tools, but these are the tools that we think shouldn’t be ignored. We have listed only a few, but there are a lot more to cover, such as plungers, gloves, goggles, and safety equipment.
If you cannot own a full kit, you can also look into plumbing tool rental for specific jobs. Rental may be a good option if you need a single expensive tool for a job but do not want it to be permanently in your kit. You can also talk to other licensed plumbers in your area to learn what they’re using for their day-to-day work.
If you are a plumbing enthusiast, check out our other blogs on plumbing.
