When your home needs plumbing repairs, you know you can always count on Progressive Plumbing and Piping! Our Raleigh plumbers are available around the clock to handle your plumbing needs. But for committed do-it-yourselfers, sometimes it’s fun to try tinkering with the plumbing on your own (we understand – that’s why we’re in the business!). If you do like to try your own repairs every now and then, here are the basic tools you’ll need to get the job done:

Plunger: Ok, this is pretty obvious. Here’s what you may not know: there are different plungers for different jobs! Stick with a standard cup plunger for tub and sink clogs, and a flange plunger for toilets.

Sink auger: Save this tool for when your sink plunger hasn’t done the job on that sink clog. Thread this flexible cable down the sink drain and work out the clog.

Closet auger: Like a sink auger, but specially designed for the toilet. And no, the two aren’t interchangeable.

Plumber’s tape: When joining pipes, use this special type of tape around the pipe that fits into its counterpart. The tape will help the pipes fit together better, meaning less trouble for you down the line.

Wrenches: Yes, plural. If you don’t have a set already, go for some adjustable ones (they come in 6, 10 and 12 inch lengths) to make sure you’ve got all your bases covered. A pipe wrench and a basin wrench will also come in handy.