Items to Consider for DIY Plumbing Tool Kits, Part 3

In parts one and two of our multi-part blog series, we’ve been detailing many of the tools that should be present in a standard home DIY plumbing tool kit. While certain plumbing issues should always be left to professional plumbers for safety and practical reasons, there are many minor concerns that handy homeowners can manage on their own – as long as they have the right tools to do so.

At My Buddy the Plumber, we’re proud to assist in both these areas, from professional services like water filtration system installations to assistance and expertise in DIY plumbing tasks our clients are carrying out. In today’s final entry in our series, we’ll go over a few more advanced tools that extremely handy homeowners might consider in their DIY plumbing tool kit so long as they have the proper safety training and capability.

Tubing Cutter

In part two we went over the hacksaw as a valuable plumbing cutting tool, and the tubing cutter is the other major device to consider down these lines. A tubing cutter looks similar to a G-clamp, allowing for simple and clean cutting of copper pipe that might be present or required somewhere in your home.

The tubing cutter is a versatile product, as well. It can be purchased for both standard tubing sizes and close-quarters cutting needs for tighter spaces.

Metal File

Speaking of cutting, both the tools we’ve gone over for this process will leave you with burrs and various rough edges on the pipes that have recently been cut. If this is the case, you will also require a metal filing tool, which will remove these imperfections and allow you to smooth pipe edges easily.

Generally speaking, you should consider two metal files: A half-round type with both rounded and flat surfaces, plus a rat-tail file that’s round and tapered. Between these, you should be covered for the most common pipe cutting formats.

Propane Torch

Finally, for the particularly advanced DIY homeowner who might be considering sweating copper pipes and fittings, a self-igniting propane torch is a valuable addition to the tool kit. This item uses a basic trigger to ignite, a far more robust and convenient option than using a striker or a set of matches.

One major note here: Only those who have received specific training on the use of torches and heat within a plumbing setting should be purchasing or using these items. If you have not performed these tasks in the past, you could be risking not only your safety but also the quality of your plumbing pipes and other components.

For more on the tools that should be present in a DIY homeowner plumbing tool kit, or to learn about any of our plumbing services, speak to the staff at My Buddy the Plumber today.