Have you ever stuck in a frustrating situation when you needed to fix something but you don’t have the tools? Ever since COVID-19 started, we have spent more time at home than before. We started to notice the little things that have been broken and needed to fix. However, these things do not need help from the professional. It looks like you can just fix it by yourself just that only if you have these repair tools to do it.
Why does the homeowner need repair tools in their home?
This is the main reason that we need to have these repair tools at home for fixing or tweaking some parts in your house. Moreover, even if you have money to call others to fix, on some occasions, they could do the work just for the sake of finishing and money but with no quality. But when we do it ourselves, we are more careful and observant than others since it is our own property.
How can it be an investment?
We, humans, keep craving new knowledge and creative ideas regardless of which age or century you are in. This hunger for new knowledge is the reason how our technology has been improving. Regarding that, we can underestimate that these tools are not fitted for our field; but it will always be a mystery if you haven’t tried it yet. For example, if you do have these home repair tools in your house and there is something that needs to be fixed, you can try to fix those problems. It doesn’t only expand your field of knowledge but also improves your critical thinking and creativity. Furthermore, it can be a small start by fixing but soon or later you will start to be more innovative such as building or creating new objects and tools for usage in your house. Not only it reduces the expenditure that you used to spend but also helps you to become a more creative and innovative person as well.
10 Items of Home Repair Tools That Homeowners Should Own
Though we use it on rare occasions, it is an asset that you should have in your house. You can find these home repair tools helpful for fixing certain problems. Here are 10 home repair tools that every homeowner should own in their house:
1. Screwdriver
Most of the items in our house that involve mechanics or electricity should have screws to attach certain parts. Hence, to unscrew those screws you should have screwdrivers to do so. The screw has various ranges and different styles. The screwdriver was designed accordingly to a different type of screws as well. The most common screwdrivers are Phillips and slotted screwdrivers. Phillips screwdriver has a cross-like shape that goes for the crosshead screw. Whereas, the slotted screwdriver has a chisel shape that spans the width of a screw’s head. The slotted screwdriver can also be an alternative for the Phillip screwdriver in emergencies. However, a slotted screwdriver usually slips when applying too much pressure. The slotted screwdriver can also be used for more than just fasten or loosen screws. It can be used as leverage to go in between tight spaces. Also, some slotted screwdrivers are designed for checking electricity called tester screwdrivers. It is really important for a homeowner when involving electricity when we don’t have much knowledge about it. This tester screwdriver lights up when encountering electricity. Therefore, it acts as an indicator to prevent the user to be electrocuted as well as perform as a slotted screwdriver.
2. Hammer
Hammer can be varied in size depending on its weight. The most common that homeowners have in their repair tools box is the claw hammer. It can be used for two different purposes. The flat side which is the heavier side is used to hammer an object inward whereas the claw side is used for pulling needle-like structures outward such as a nail. This claw hammer is plenty enough for homeowners for small uses and fixing stuff. Though if you are planning on demolishing a wall or concrete, this claw hammer is not suitable for the job. As I have mentioned, hammers are varied between size and weight. A job such as wrecking is more suitable for a bigger, heavier, and longer arm hammer to achieve the momentum and kinetic forces to destroy. On the other hand the claw hammer can only demolish a small structure.
3. Wrench
This is another important repair tool that homeowners should have in their homes as well. Bolt has a similar usage and mechanism to screw. Both are used to tighten and keep parts in their respective place. Bolts are used for more hard and heavy objects since screws are not able to handle a heavier object. Bolts are different from screws such as their head and size. To loosen a bolt, you must have a wrench. There also multiples wrenches but the common wrenches are spud wrench, hex wrench, and combination wrench. A Spud wrench is an adjustable wrench that can be adjusted according to the size of the bolt. Whereas the combination wrench is a fixed size wrench that was designed for a specific size of bolt. It has two heads. One is an open-ended head, which is the same as the spud wrench, and the other is a box-ended head, which looks like the letter O. Similarly, the hex wrench is fixed as well. It is designed according to the size of the bolt. Hex wrench has 6 angles like a hexagon as for its name. The bolt is carved inward for the hex wrench to insert to move it. A hex wrench is usually small compared to the other 2 and has an L shape.
4. Pliers
Think of a plier to a chopstick that is used for picking hard metal objects. Pliers are also important for a homeowner to have in their toolbox. Not only could they be used for just picking an object, but we can also use pliers to hold objects that shouldn’t be touched by bare hands, similar to a chopstick. It uses the principle of mechanical advantage to perform. Pliers are designed to have a long handle with a short head and a fulcrum to connect them. Thus, it provides the user to have more power over the object that they are using on. Pliers are one of the basic repair tools that homes should have in their toolbox.
5. Duct Tape
Duct tape is a must-have in your repair tools. It is one of the easiest and effective methods to use for fixing and attaching items back. Unlike normal tape, duct tape is more strong and sticky than normal tape. On the occasion that things needed to be attached immediately, you can just use duct tape as an alternative to avoid further damage.
6. Tape Measure
Another item that is also important for a homeowner is a tape measure. It can be for measuring windows or doors at your house when they break and need replacement. You could just measure the previous perimeter of the frame and order the item with those measurements. Also, it leans more onto the creative side of the homeowner. Measurement tape will be needed for those that try to build items such as chairs and tables. Having a precise measurement is the crucial factor for building everything. If one measurement is different from the rest, the outcome will be incorrect.
7. Power Drill/ Driver Kit
As technology evolves, it has been very helpful for us to move from manual to electric too. Wooden and even concrete were drilled manually. But after the electric drill was introduced, it has been more convenient and effective than the manual drill. Nowadays, the cordless drill also introduces which is powered by an electric battery. This power drill is compact and easy to use, which every homeowner should have in their home repair tools. But the power drill itself isn’t going to do the work, you need to buy their kit as well to drill hold. This power drill can do two things. First, you can use the power drill as a screwdriver. You can replace the head of the drill with a different screwdriver head to your preference. Thus, you require more power than just screwing manually. Second, you can change the drill head to a wood or concrete drill head. Therefore, you can now drill holes in a wall or any wood to attach or decorate your house with less expense.
8. Painting Tool
As a new house owner or old house owner having your painting tools such as paintbrushes and paint rollers. As a new horse owner, if the color is not your preference you could just ask your friend or family member to help painting because it is one of the most enjoyable activities as a friend or family. The same applies to the old house owner. When seeing the same painting or the old painting colors wear off, you just have to buy the paint that you wanted to paint and paint it yourself. Moreover, it can be reused if you take care of the paintbrush after using it. It can be reused 2 or 3 more times if you take care of the brushes carefully.
9. Saw
Well, you can use scissors to cut wood or PVC pipe but you can with a saw. For example, you wanted to build a table yourself because those stores don’t have the one that you preferred. You decided to buy the equipment that is needed for building a table. After purchasing the equipment, you will understand that you only need some part of the wood. That is why you need to cut it via saw. Saw, measurement tape, and power drills all complement each other to build that table you wanted. Though you use it occasionally, it will come in handy at the moment you need it.
10. Safety Gears
Safety gear is the most important tool that you MUST have in your repair tools at all times. Gears such as robes, glasses, shoes, helmets, and gloves are crucial during any constructive work. Sometimes it seems safe at first, but you cannot be very sure about it because accidents can happen at a blink of an eye. Protect eye glasses will act as a second layer from anything that could cause harm to your eye. Gloves will also protect your bare hand from any sharp object that would injure your hand. You can omit helmets if you are doing projects that are on a small scale. However, do not overlook helmets when doing big-scale projects, something that is heavy or easily break apart. Having an additional protective layer for your head is important since our head is the most important part of our body. Regardless of age and gender, you should be fully conscious and aware of anything that is dangerous and how to prevent it.
Caution and Reminders:
We must note the majority of this home repair tools equipment could also cause major injuries if used incorrectly. All of the tools should also keep away from young children to prevent any accidents. Even for an adult, you should be aware of a certain incident that could also cause harm to you when using any type of these tools. Also, these are not toys and they must be taken with care and responsibility. Furthermore, after using any tools, you must clean and organize it into a safe place to avoid an accidental trip or fall on the tools, which is dangerous and could cause serious fatality if falling on some tools. In regard, organizing the tools into a more secure place could give you a more secure place to operate with safety as well as preventing you from the user coming into contact with the objects or tools. Most importantly, safety gear is recommended when using any tools to avoid any unexpected incidents.
Conclusion
All in all, these home repair tools are really helpful for every homeowner. It can introduce a person to become more productive and creative. Plus, reducing the financial cost that you used to call others for help. There are 10 basic home repair tools that you should have including a screwdriver, hammer, wrench, pliers, tape measure, power drill/drill kits, painting tools, and safety gears. Each of these tools serves its purpose specifically. I strongly believe that owning at least 10 of these items will be an investment for everyone to be more innovative and understanding the basics in your own home but do take caution when using every tool.
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