The drum auger, also known as sink auger, drum auger or canister auger comes in handy when dealing with clogged drain repairs. The cup plunger is a must have and a very common plumbing tool in any home. It is shaped in a rubber cup form with a wooden handle and helps with unclogging showers, tubs and sinks.

The faucet valve seat wrench for typical compression faucets are the oldest styled faucets and least expensive. The faucet valve seat wrench comes handy in grabbing a nylon or rubber washer opposite a valve seat in faucet bodies. Teflon tape technically known as PTFE (PolyTetraFluoroEthylene) is a silky textured, strong tensioned tape breaks in a stringy style preventing leakages at threaded water line links, plumbing links, sealing pipe threading and shower heads. Teflon tape is typically white in color. The closet auger consists of a hand crank, a lengthy sleeve grip, and a strong auger bit at the end. A flexible shaft connects the auger bit to the crank handle, reaching about 3 feet. This tool will help with any stubborn clogs in the toilet drain line.

The flange plunger is a special shaped ball plunger comes in real handy in clearing congested toilets by applying vacuum and water force. Unlike a standard goblet shaped plunger used in tubs and sinks, this tool’s unique silhouette shuts the gap at the floor of a toilet bowl. A faucet valve reseating tool, also called the valve seat grinder or dresser, aides in smoothing out the valve seat of the faucet. The tube cutter is an ideal tool when working with copper pipes for smooth, well fixed joints. The adjustable pipe wrench, a quintessential plumbing tool, this provides incredible force and grip. The wrench tightens around pipes by jabbing its spiky saw–like teeth into the pipe with the pressure increasing on turning the wrench. Faucet packing and washers/compression faucets are still old fashioned with nylon/rubber washers with sealed faucet stems. Newer models come with rubber washer or O–rings for the stem–retaining nut.

A homeowner will usually have most, if not all, of these tools in their arsenal. These plumbing tools will make dealing with plumbing problems much easier for either a homeowner or professional plumbing contractors.

A general issue faced by homeowners on a regular basis is a clogged sink. However, with the following tips, it will no longer be a Herculean task. First, check the kind of drain that is being used (i.e. – metal J–Trap kind or a PVC kind of tubing). Generally a J–Trap would create a 180 degree bend in the tubing causing a water clog between the sink and the remaining drain system of the house.

Next proceed to detach the drain stopper, which is normally done by lifting it up after turning it right or left to 90 degrees. Also, don’t forget to disconnect the pivot rod beneath the sink below the drain’s tail pipe. Now if the J–Trap is connected with couplings, it can be unscrewed either with your hands or with channel pliers, in case of tight ones, not to forget to put a bucket below the J–Trap to catch the stranded water. Having removed the couplings, now all you got to do is to slither down the J–Trap off the sink’s drain sleeve away from the rest of the house’s drain system.

After having emptied the contents of the J-Trap into the bucket, you can now remove the semi solid and solid culprits that were the reason for the clogged drain. Finally, using a brush or rag, thoroughly scrub the J-Trap. After taking these steps, you will have a free flowing sink drain.

As a homeowner it is your prime responsibility to make sure that all the different parts and aspects of your home are maintained properly. However, incase any part of your home stops functioning in the right manner then be prepared to pay the penalty – ugh.

A sewage and septic system is one of the most important and valuable parts of the home. One can define it as the key part of the entire plumbing system of your house. A sewage and septic system is delicate like any other part of the plumbing system. This system requires you to take proper care of it. However, what would happen if the sewage and septic system of your home fails?

· Your sewage and septic system makes sure that all the human waste and other household waste is disposed off in a proper manner from the inside of the house to the outside. However, if the system stops functioning properly then the entire human waste and household waste would get choked up inside the pipes and would not move out of the house.

· Once the human waste and other household waste gets choked up in the pipes you and your family would have to face a very serious odor problem. Another problem which you would face is the fact that you would no longer be able to use your toilets and washrooms as the waste water would simply refuse to travel through the clogged pipes.

These are some of the hazards which you would experience incase a sewage and septic system of your home fails.

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The majority of shower drain clogs are caused by hair.  Consequently, the first solution you will want to try to clear a shower drain clog is a hair removal product like Nair.  Try pouring a small amount of hair removal product down your drain, let it sit for a bit and wash away.  Another solution to try is a combination of baking soda and vinegar.  Again, pour a small amount directly into the shower drain, wait a bit and wash away.  If you encounter the hair clog problem often, you may want to consider purchasing a new drain cover for your shower that will catch hair more effectively than the one you currently have to eliminate some of the frustration of standing water in your shower.

If the clog remains after you’ve tried the hair product and/or baking soda, vinegar remedies, you may have a more extensive problem than simply hair in your pipes.  Unless you are adept at disassembling and reassembling your shower drain, you may need to contact a licensed plumber to check out the problem. 

Ask your plumber to check out the general condition of your shower drain as well as the pipes leading out of the shower.  If your plumber determines that you need a new drain system installed make sure he/she uses one of the newer drain assemblies that contain a bondable, waterproof membrane to protect the mortar bed of your shower from becoming saturated.  Replacing old and worn shower drains is an inexpensive home improvement that will eliminate
a lot of frustration and early morning surprises.

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Drain unclogging products and home solutions will probably not work on a full-fledged floor drain clog.  You will most likely have to contact a plumber or rent a power auger to clear a stubborn, floor drain clog.  A power auger is a machine that uses cutting blades to literally cut through the clog.  If your drain has a drain basin with a clean-out plug, you can circumvent your drain trap and gain access directly to the pipe to your floor drain.  If not, you’ll have to snake the pipe through the floor drain assembly.  Having to snake your way through is more difficult, but not an impossible task.  Once the auger reached the clog, its blades cut through the clog by alternating the direction of its blades as you move the snake back and forth through the clog.

Most floor drains are designed to accommodate a certain amount of overflow.  As a result, pressure builds in a floor drain system and may cause your drain to overflow.  There is a standpipe that is supposed to hold back some of the waste water flowing through the drain to help eliminate this pressure buildup and overflow and to keep your pipes and drain assembly from breaking under the pressure, but these can fail.  So if you suspect that your floor drain is accepting large quantities of waste water, you may have a more complicated problem than a floor drain clog.  Call a qualified licensed plumber to check out your floor drain system before you have to deal with cracked pipes caused from pressure build-up.

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Pipe Wrench
Buy yourself a sturdy pipe wrench for when you need a wrench that is the appropriate size and with the appropriate grip to loosen pipes.  A medium-size, adjustable pipe wrench will suffice to tighten and loosen pipes and other plumbing connections.  Your local hardware or plumbing-supply store will have these in stock in a variety of styles and prices.

A basin wrench is a specialized tool that will enable you to reach tight spots under sinks and basins.  The jaws of a basin wrench are adjustable and accommodate nuts of different sizes.  In addition, a basin wrench, when flipped over, allows you to keep turning the wrench without removing it from the nut.

A socket wrench set is another useful plumbing tool to have around.  It is used for removing recessed packing nuts and on tub and shower fixtures.  You’ll also find it handy to have around to complete other do-it-yourself household repairs.

If you need to change a toilet seat, a deep socket wrench will do the trick.  And to remove a toilet for replacement or repair, you’ll most likely need a spud wrench.  Older toilets sometimes have a large pipe (called a spud) which connects the tank to the bowl.  An extra-large hexagonal slip nut holds the bowl to the tank.  Consequently, a spud wrench is required to remove these slip nuts. Purchase an adjustable type of spud wrench as it will be more versatile than the nonadjustable type, which has a fixed opening at each end.

Other Plumbing Tools to Have Around
Augers, plungers, and snakes are tools designed specifically for plumbing. You’ll find these useful in almost any home repair project as well as most plumbing repair tasks.  Plumbers’ snakes (or drain-and-trap augers) vary in length.  For general use, a short snake is all you’ll need for most plumbing repairs. Look for a closet auger, a version of the plumbers’ snake designed specifically for clearing clogs in toilets.  It will be a bit shorter than a regular snake, and comes encased in a plastic or metal housing with an easy-to-use crank.

Having some plumbing repair tools available to solve simple plumbing issues is paramount to being a responsible homeowner.  Investing in these tools is ultimately an investment in the longevity of your home.

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Your first attempt to unclog your kitchen drain should be to use a plunger.  Plungers with a large rubber bell are best as they provide more thrust; however, for a kitchen drain other types will suffice.  Before you begin, if you have a garbage disposer, check that it is off.  Rotate the disposer blades manually with a screwdriver or other such tool (never use your fingers) to dislodge any objects stuck in the disposal; and if you have a dishwasher, clamp the flexible part of the drain line to prevent dirty water from going into the dishwasher as you plunge.  If rotating the blades dislodges a stuck object, you may be finished.  However, if you still have standing water, you will need to proceed to plunge the drains of your kitchen sink.  Plunge the disposer side of your sink first (most stopped-up kitchen sinks are the result of a clogged garbage disposer).  Hopefully this will force the clog down the drain.  Press the reset button located on the bottom of your disposer and test the garbage disposal.

If the disposer works and you still have a clogged sink, you will need to plunge the drain without the garbage disposer since this is probably the source of your clog.  To accomplish this, fill your kitchen sink with three or four inches of water to make sure the plunger will seal around the drain.  Use a wet rag or basket strainer to plug the garbage disposal drain opening and create a vacuum in the pipes.  Plunge the open drain by rolling the head of the plunger into the water to force water, not air, into the drain.  You can create extra pressure by popping the plunger off the mouth of the drain during upstrokes.  If the water doesn’t clear, continue plunging for several minutes.  If plunging doesn’t clear the clog, you may have a clog located too far down your drain for you to reach and should consider contacting a qualified licensed plumber to clear the clog.

Tips to Avoid Kitchen Sink Clogs
Most kitchen sink clogs are a result of drain line abuse.  You can avoid abusing your kitchen line by not overloading your garbage disposer with meat, high starch foods (pasta, potatoes, rice), or high-fiber foods (corn husks and celery).  In addition, be sure to run lots of cold water down your drain while using the garbage disposer.  A good practice is to let the disposer catch up after every cupful of food you put into it.  Never dump grease, egg shells, onion skins, or coffee grounds in the garbage disposal drain because these tend to solidify in the drain and can cause major pipe obstructions.

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If you have become frustrated trying to fix a clogged drain with a plunger, there are other options to unclogging that pesky back-up.  You can begin by cleaning your P-Trap. Clogs in the P-trap or trap arm of your drain are usually a result of coffee grounds or grease; in which case a plunger will not clear the pipe. You can try the suggestions below or call a licensed plumber to unclog your drain.

To disassemble and clean your P-trap, you should begin by using a sponge to soak up the water from the sink to reduce water flow under your sink when you remove the trap.  Put a bucket or pan beneath the sink to collect the dirty water from the clogged pipe.  Gently loosen the slip nuts attaching your trap to avoid bending or cracking the trap.  First, unscrew the slip nut between the trap arm and the P-trap.  Next, unscrew the slip nut at the bottom of the waste tee.  If your trap is clogged, all you need to do is clean it, reinstall it, and test the line by running warm water through it.  When reassembling the P-trap, be careful not to over-tighten the slip nuts.

If once you disassemble the P-trap you do not find a clog, then your next option is to snake the line to try to clear up your clogged drain.  To begin, loosen the setscrew of your snake (also called a cable auger) at the tip of the snake and pull out six to ten inches of cable.  Tighten the setscrew and feed the cable into the pipe until you feel some resistance.  Pull out another twelve to eighteen inches of cable, tighten the setscrew, and crank the handle of your snake clockwise while pushing forward to drive the cable farther into the pipe.  Repeat this process until you break through the blockage.  Should your cable get bogged down or catch on something, crank the handle counterclockwise and pull back a bit before continuing.  At some point, you should feel the cable clear the clog.  Once the clog is cleared, pull the cable out, clean it, replace the trap arm and trap, and run hot water into your sink until it drains properly.  It may take a few minutes for the water to flow smoothly while the clog you dislodged breaks up or dissolves.

As an added precaution, while the drain is open and before reassembling the traps, pour ½ cup of white vinegar and ½ cup of baking soda into the drain, cover the openings and let it sit for a few minutes.  Run about a gallon of warm water through the pipes to flush out the mixture. This should clean the drain even more and remove any lingering odor.

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