Inside the Toolbox: What Tools Do Plumbers Use at JB Rooter?

Walk into our shop at JB Rooter early on a Monday and you’ll see a quiet choreography. Trucks back in for restock, apprentices roll coils of PEX like giant red lariats, and the veterans double check their kits before heading to the first call. The toolbox is never just a box of wrenches. It’s a mobile workshop, a diagnostic lab, a rescue kit for homes in distress. The specific tools we pack shape how fast we can solve your problem, how cleanly we can finish, and how reliably the repair will hold up years later.

This is a tour of what we carry and, just as importantly, why we rely on each piece. Along the way, you’ll pick up a sense of what a plumber actually does on a job, how we decide between options like hydro jetting and augering, and what to look for when you choose a plumbing contractor.

The everyday hand tools that never leave the truck

A well-worn pair of channel locks tells a story. The jaws might be scarred from years of gripping chrome nuts and galvanized unions, but the feel is familiar, and that matters when you’re working behind a vanity with your head wedged against drywall. We keep at least two sizes of tongue-and-groove pliers to cover everything from faucet nuts to 2 inch PVC couplings. Pipe wrenches - 10, 14, and 18 inch - ride together because leverage is everything when you’re breaking a corroded union. Add a smooth-jaw wrench for delicate finishes, a good quality basin wrench for those impossible-to-reach faucet mounts, and you can traverse most fixtures without scratching a thing.

Cutting tools are next. Tube cutters for copper and PEX shears for plastic get used daily. A fine-tooth hacksaw and multi-material blades help when we’re dealing with old cast fittings or stubborn brackets. We carry a compact oscillating tool because it slips into tight spaces and trims screws or notches studs without tearing a wall apart. If you’ve ever watched someone wrestle a toilet flange that sits just a hair too high, you know why precision tools live in our kits.

Measuring and marking may not sound glamorous, but plumbing is a game of slope, elevation, and clearance. We run digital and bubble levels, a tape that actually retracts after a dusty crawlspace, and a lumber crayon that marks on wet pipe. The plumbers who hit code slope on drain lines every time aren’t lucky. They’ve measured, dry fit, and checked before a drop of glue comes out of the can.

Then there’s sealing. Pipe dope for certain threaded connections, PTFE tape in both standard and gas-rated varieties, plus the right solvent cements for PVC and ABS. Using the wrong sealant can cost you twice: once for the leak, and again for the time tearing it apart. A small but critical detail that separates a quick fix from a durable one.

Diagnostic tools, small and mighty

Finding the problem quickly is half the job. Pressure gauges and Schrader adapters help us test with certainty rather than guess. A simple pressure reading can explain why a shower sputters every time two fixtures run. If we’re tackling how to fix low water pressure, the toolset starts with a calibrated gauge and residential plumber a strategy: confirm municipal supply pressure, check the pressure reducing valve, then move fixture by fixture to isolate restrictions like clogged aerators or kinked supply lines. Nine times out of ten, methodical testing prevents expensive rabbit holes.

We also rely on moisture meters and thermal cameras to detect hidden water leaks. A thermal camera doesn’t see through walls, but it picks up temperature differences that reveal cold sweats on a pipe or a damp patch trapped under tile. On a recent call, a family suspected a slab leak because their water bill spiked. The thermal imager highlighted a cold stripe across a hallway. A quick confirmation with a meter and acoustic listening gear led us within a foot of the rupture. One small access hole later, and we repaired it without tearing up half the floor. When you’re learning how to detect a hidden water leak, precision saves more than time. It protects your home.

We keep inspection mirrors and borescopes for tight cavities, plus circuit tracers and non-contact voltage testers because plumbing often bumps into electrical. If you’ve ever swapped a garbage disposal and wondered why it tripped the breaker, you appreciate a plumber who can verify the circuit is live, grounded, and safe before putting hands near wiring.

Power tools that speed the work without rough edges

Cordless tools sewer repair changed our day-to-day. A compact drill driver with a right-angle attachment turns a half-day copper repipe into a few hours, simply by making drilling clean holes through studs painless. We carry impact drivers for lag bolts and fastening supports, and a hammer drill with masonry bits for anchoring cleanouts or pump systems into slab.

Reciprocating saws open pathways when we’re replacing cast iron stacks, but we pair them with a vacuum and shields to control dust. We also carry a die grinder with a carbide burr for cast iron descaling. If you’ve never seen a cast stack shed flakes like rusted bark, you might not realize how much internal buildup can choke a line. Carefully removing scale can buy time before a full replacement, an honest option for budget-conscious repairs.

Press tools for copper and stainless fittings have become staples. Pressing joins can be a dream in tight spaces, zero flame, consistent results. Yet we still solder when the situation calls for it. A torch, flux, and patience solve things press jaws can’t reach, especially in cramped chases. The art here is judgment, not blind loyalty to either method.

Drain cleaning gear, from quick fixes to heavy artillery

Clogs are the phone calls that don’t wait. For a basic sink stoppage, our first reach is often a hand auger paired with a good trap brush and a bucket. Many small clogs live right in the trap or the first few feet of drain. We remove the trap, clean it, run the auger gently, and flush. No heroics necessary. If you’re wondering how to unclog a toilet at home, start with a quality plunger and a properly sized toilet auger. A few slow, steady rotations often do the trick. If the water level threatens to overflow, shut the water supply at the valve behind the toilet to buy yourself breathing room.

When lines run longer, we bring out sectional or drum machines with the correct cable diameter and heads. Roots, grease, and wipes each respond differently. An arrowhead cutter opens the line; a grease cutter or saw blade may follow to restore flow. For lines that repeatedly clog, we advise a camera inspection after cleaning to see what’s lurking. If the line is clear and the camera shows bellies or breaks, we can discuss next steps and costs instead of waiting for the next flood.

We get asked a lot: what is hydro jetting and when do you use it? Hydro jetting uses high-pressure water, typically 2,000 to 4,000 PSI on residential jobs, to scour the pipe walls. It does more than poke a hole. It strips grease films and cuts through sludge that cables only push aside. For restaurants and old kitchen lines, jetting can be a reset button. The trade-off is equipment cost and the need for access points. If a line is fragile or compromised, we test and scope first so we don’t turn a borderline pipe into a break. When it’s a fit, the results are hard to beat.

As for what is the cost of drain cleaning, local rates vary, but most homes see a range that tracks with access and severity. Clearing a straightforward bathroom sink might fall near the low end, while main line roots with camera inspection and jetting land higher. Ask for up-front ranges and what each tier includes. A fair price includes the right tool for the specific clog, not just time on site.

Cameras, locators, and the map in our heads

Video inspection cameras changed how we plan repairs. A good camera with a self-leveling head and distance counter tells you what and where. We run them after serious clogs, during home inspections, and before trenchless work. Add a sonde and locator and we can mark the pipe’s path right on your lawn. That matters when we weigh options like what is trenchless sewer repair. If the camera shows a short section of broken clay, trenchless methods like pipe bursting or cured-in-place lining can save landscaping and driveway slabs. If a belly runs for twenty feet and the grade is wrong, trenchless won’t fix slope. At that point, traditional excavation might be the honest choice.

We carry magnetic locators and metal detectors too, especially on older properties where cleanouts are buried. A half hour finding the cleanout can save a day of headaches chipping concrete or digging blind.

Water heater tools, from diagnosis to replacement

Water heaters offer a full tour of the toolbox in one appliance. We carry multimeters and clamp meters to test elements and thermostats on electric models, manometers and combustion analyzers for gas units, and pump kits for descaling tankless systems. When customers ask what is the average cost of water heater repair, we explain the spread. Replacing elements and thermostats can be modest, often in the low hundreds. Combustion issues, venting corrections, or replacements obviously climb. A good tech starts by verifying basics: power or gas supply, water pressure, and error codes on modern controls. Repair beats replacement when the tank is in decent shape and parts are available, especially if the unit isn’t near the end of its typical 8 to 12 year lifespan.

On installs, we bring expansion tanks, dielectric unions, drip pans, and seismic straps where code requires them. A press tool or torch, plus a clean pipe cutter, determines whether your new heater connects without weeping joints. For tankless, a tidy isolation valve set makes future maintenance painless. That upgrade costs a little more on install day, then pays back every time we flush scale quickly and cleanly.

Fixtures and finish work: where patience shows

Faucets, toilets, disposals - this is where homeowners often try DIY. Some do great. Others call us after a Saturday of frustration. Knowing how to fix a leaky faucet starts with the faucet type: cartridge, ball, ceramic disc, compression. We carry manufacturer-specific pullers and a spread of O-rings, seats, and cartridges. If you’re tackling one yourself, shut off supply, plug the drain so tiny screws don’t vanish, take a clear photo before disassembly, and bring the old parts to the store to match exactly. When a handle still drips after a new cartridge, debris in the seat or a scored valve body might be the culprit. That’s when our kit’s cleaning brushes, silicone grease, and gentle abrasives earn their keep.

How to fix a running toilet is one of those deceptively simple jobs. The essentials are a new flapper matched to your model, a fill valve you can adjust for water level, and a stable chain length. We carry dye tablets to confirm a slow leak into the bowl, plus the patience to set the waterline where it should be. High-end toilets will punish a one-size-fits-all flapper, so we stock brand-specific parts. A small detail, big difference in performance.

When we replace a garbage disposal, we bring a plug-in tester to verify the outlet, a torque wrench attachment to seat the mounting ring evenly, and a knockout tool for the dishwasher inlet. Forgetting to punch that knockout creates a baffling symptom: the dishwasher runs, but water backs into the sink. The fix takes 10 seconds with the right tool and a trained habit.

Pipe materials and the heat, press, and glue that hold them

We work across copper, PEX, CPVC, PVC, ABS, and cast iron. Each gets its own kit. For copper, we maintain torches with stable flame control, fire cloths to shield combustibles, and heat-block paste around valves. Press tools come with jaw sets sized to fittings and a calibrated schedule for maintenance. PEX adds crimp or expansion tools. We use go/no-go gauges to confirm a proper crimp, then tug-test every connection because nothing betrays a rushed job like a missed crimp behind new drywall.

Solvent welds require clean, square cuts, chamfered edges, and proper primer and cement for the material. If you’ve seen purple stains around a fitting, you’re looking at primer that was either over-applied or wiped poorly. Functionally fine, but we aim for clean work. Dry fitting, marking insertion depth, and applying full, even cement coverage prevents voids that lead to leaks.

Safety gear that keeps the day boring in the best way

We like boring days. Boring means no injuries, no surprises. We wear cut-resistant gloves, safety glasses, and knee pads as standard. Shrouds and extinguishers accompany any torch work. When we demo, we mask and run HEPA vacuums for dust control. Confined spaces demand monitors because a sump pit or crawlspace can hold pockets of gas. On a winter pipe-thaw call, we prefer safe controlled heat rather than open flames. That discipline isn’t showy, but it keeps crews healthy and jobs predictable.

Emergency calls and what changes in our toolbox

When you ask when to call an emergency plumber, think in terms of active damage or loss of essential service. A gushing supply line, sewage backing into fixtures, a main line completely blocked, or a gas leak demands immediate help. Our emergency kit prioritizes shutoff and stabilization: meter keys, curb stop tools, inflatable test balls to block a line temporarily, and pumps and hoses to manage water. We also carry spare PRV valves, pressure gauges, and stop valves because replacing a failed shutoff can be the difference between a controlled repair and a soaked hallway.

One late-night job comes to mind. A burst on a second-floor supply line soaked through a ceiling. We killed the main at the curb with a meter key, opened a few fixtures to drain down, then cut and capped the damaged section with push-to-connect fittings to restore water everywhere else. Temporary measures, done with the right tools, buy time for a tidy permanent repair once the drywall dries.

Preventive tools and the quiet art of avoiding problems

Good plumbing is as much about prevention as repair. We keep backflow test kits to confirm potable water stays clean. If you’ve wondered what is backflow prevention, it’s the hardware and testing that stop dirty water from reversing into your clean supply. Irrigation systems, boiler feeds, even certain hose bibbs need proper devices. We test annually because parts wear and springs weaken.

For winter prep, we carry insulation sleeves, heat cables rated for pipes, and faucet covers. Knowing how to winterize plumbing in a mild climate looks different than in heavy freeze zones. In our area, we advise insulating exposed lines, disconnecting hoses, and, if a deep freeze is predicted, opening cabinet doors and trickling water on the most vulnerable runs. Where homes sit vacant, we can drain systems and add antifreeze to traps. The best tool here is planning, plus a note taped at the main valve explaining how to shut water off fast. When people ask what causes pipes to burst, the physics are simple: water expands when it freezes, and the pressure rises until something gives. Insulation and consistent heat prevent the freeze, and a clean shutoff limits the damage if it happens.

Leak prevention goes beyond insulation. We install leak sensors with automatic shutoff valves under heaters and in laundry rooms. A hundred-dollar device can prevent thousands in damage. Add expansion tanks where closed systems raise pressure, and pressure-reducing valves tuned to a sane range, and your fixtures last longer. We carry the gauges and test pumps to set these accurately instead of guessing.

What a plumber actually does, beyond the stereotype

People often ask what does a plumber do, expecting a list of repairs. The truth is more architectural. We plan how water moves through a home quietly and predictably, how waste leaves without odors or backups, and how fixtures last years without drama. Tools are extensions of that planning. The camera that proves a line is sound, the press tool that makes a watertight connection in a tight chase, the locator that saves a tree from an unnecessary trench - all serve the bigger goal.

We also field a practical question: how much does a plumber cost. Rates vary by region and by get more info scope. Expect a service call fee that covers the trip and diagnosis, then line items for repairs. Emergency work costs more because it means overtime hours and immediate mobilization. The best way to manage cost is clarity. Ask for options. Sometimes a stopgap repair buys a year, and that breathing room lets you plan a permanent fix without debt stress.

Choosing the right contractor and what to look for in tools and habits

Credentials matter. If you’re wondering how to find a licensed plumber, start with your state licensing board and verify insurance. Reviews help, but ask pointed questions. Do they camera scope drains when problems repeat, or just cable again and again? Do they test water pressure and discuss backflow prevention? Are they comfortable explaining what is hydro jetting versus snaking, and when each applies? Real pros will show you photos or video, walk you through choices, and respect your budget.

How to choose a plumbing contractor also comes down to communication and preparation. A tidy truck and labeled bins sound cosmetic, but they hint at the mindset that shows up in clean joints and sealed penetrations. Tools are investments. Companies that maintain and calibrate them tend to do the same with the work they leave behind.

When the fix is bigger than a wrench

Some jobs outgrow hand tools. If a clay sewer has collapsed under a driveway, we discuss what is trenchless sewer repair and whether it fits the conditions. Pipe bursting pulls a new pipe through the path of the old, expanding as it goes. Cured-in-place lining creates a pipe within a pipe. Both reduce digging, but both need a relatively stable host path and correct slope to succeed. We camera, locate, measure distances, and talk through trade-offs. If trenchless doesn’t solve the root cause, we don’t recommend it just to win the job.

For homes with chronic slow drains and grease issues, we lay out maintenance options. Scheduled jetting, enzyme treatments, and educational moments about what not to send down a disposal go a long way. The most honest tool sometimes is a conversation.

Practical mini-guides from the field

• Quick checklist before you call: find your main water shutoff and make sure it turns, note whether one fixture or the whole house is affected, snap a few photos, and, if safe, kill power to a leaking water heater. This context helps us bring the right tools first trip.

• Simple steps to try for low water pressure at a single faucet: unscrew the aerator, flush the line for 10 seconds, clean sediment from the aerator screen, reinstall hand tight, then test hot and cold separately. If pressure stays low across multiple fixtures, it’s time for a gauge at the main and a deeper look at the pressure reducing valve or supply.

Those small actions keep emergencies from escalating and keep diagnostics focused.

Final notes from the toolbox

Tools don’t make a plumber, but they reveal one. When you watch a tech set a level before gluing a drain, or pause to gauge pressure rather than assume, you’re seeing the craft. At JB Rooter, the toolbox evolves as new materials and methods prove themselves. Press tools gained space in the truck when they produced consistent, leak-free joints on tight timelines. Hydro jetting earned its spot because it restored lines we used to cable every few months. Thermal cameras and acoustic gear paid for themselves the first time we opened a single small hole and stopped a hidden leak cold.

And yes, sometimes the hero of the day is still a basin wrench and a roll of PTFE tape, used with care. The quiet victory is a home that runs, drains, and heats water without drama. If you’re planning a project, facing a midnight backup, or just curious about what lives in our kits, you now have a sense of the why behind the tools. The next time we visit, feel free to ask about the camera head or the odd-looking press jaws. We’re happy to show you the gear, and even happier to leave your home dry, quiet, and back to normal.