Many people don’t know how to do plumbing and it scares them. DIY home plumbing is actually pretty simple. You just need to understand the basic concepts, but none of that matters if you don’t have the right supplies and tools to start replacing plumbing.
You see, plumbing issues usually pop up and they rarely wait for the ideal moment. When your drain is plugged in the middle of the night, you’ll need to deal with it yourself. Or if a pipe breaks and you have water filling up the house . . . it’s a good idea to have what you need to repair it.
So, what should you have on hand for DIY home plumbing? Here are the basics:
Hacksaw (for cutting pipe)
Pipe Wrench (buy two, one for turning, one for holding)
Basin Wrench (to reach behind the sink and loosen or tighten bolts)
Plumber’s Snake (to reach blockages deep in the pipes without tearing it all apart)
Plumbers Putty (create a seal where needed)
Silicon Lubricant (to lube up moving parts)
PVC Glue (for gluing PVC pipe)
Plunger (every plumber should have one)
Sandpaper (clean joints)
Wire Brush (to clean parts)
Of course, there are many other tools you can add to this list, including a propane torch and soldering materials, if you’re up to sweating copper pipes and soldering them back together. However, with these basics, and a handful of rags, you will be able to tackle the majority of plumbing problems that you run into in the home. You don’t have to be an expert in how to do plumbing in order to get started. DIY home plumbing requires a bit of preparation since you will rarely find yourself replacing plumbing for the mere fun of it! Be prepared for those midnight disasters.
