Build A Plumbing Emergency Kit For Your Kid Leaving Home

It's not easy letting go of your kids, even when they're grown. If your kid is getting ready to leave the nest, you want to do all that you can to prepare him or her for what lies ahead. One way to prepare your kid for living on their own is to help them prepare for the many plumbing emergencies that will arise. Here, you'll find a short list of things that you should include in a small tool-kit to send with your kid to his or her new home.

Plungers

Your kid will need two plungers—one for toilets and one for everything else, like the kitchen and bathroom sinks. Generally, there are two colors of plungers: black and red. Get one of each so that your kid can dedicate one for toilets and the other for everything else.

Wrenches

Plumbing requires the use of multiple sizes of wrenches. A wrench is used to loosen and tighten fittings and those fittings come in various sizes. Pick up one large and one small wrench to include in the kit.

Tip: If your kid's new home has city water, make sure that he or she finds out where the main shut-off is. Then, check to make sure that the shut-off can be turned without using any tools. Sometimes, you'll need to stash a wrench in the area where the shut-off is to be sure that it's there when you need it. If this is the case, add an extra wrench to the kit so your kid can stash the extra with the shut-off valve.

Plumber's Snake

Plumber's snakes can break those difficult clogs free. You can pick up a general use snake for very little money. Unfortunately, snakes can be damaging to toilets, so make sure that your kid knows how to use these little gadgets.

To use the snake, you simply have to send it down the drain, give it a few turns, and gently pull it back out of the drain. If you were to use the snake in the toilet, it could cause the porcelain to crack, so make sure your kid knows that it is for drain use only—no snaking the toilets without a professional.

Plumber Contact Information

Take some time to find a few plumbers to refer your kid to— a place like The King's Helper might be a good place to start. Include a list of phone numbers, as well as those that offer emergency services so your kid will know exactly who to call when plumbing problems arise.

Talk with your kid to make sure he or she understands what to do in the event of a plumbing emergency. Hopefully, the gift of a plumbing repair kit will help.

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