Tools Every Homeowner Should Have 

Aside from the basics like pliers, hammer, screw drivers and ratchet set, here area  few tools most people forget about. 
Drain Snake
A drain snake can help remove clogs in bathtubs, sinks, washer drains and toilets. Most clogs happen in the p-trap located just below the drain making it easy to access and clean yourself with this simple tool. This is what plumbers use. Here is a great video on how it works. 

Water/Gas Shut Off Wrench

Most water and natural gas valves require a special tool to shut them off in case of an emergency. You want to make sure you get a shut off valve with descent sized handles so you can get leverage if the valves are sticky. Here is a video on how to use the tool. 

Tools Every Homeowner Should Think About Having

Pinless Moisture Meter

One of the most common and expensive problems a homeowner will face is water leaks. With a pinless moisture meter you can find the exact moisture content of your flooring and walls even behind paint and linolium. If the moisture content is less than 19%, generally, there won't be any problems because mold, mildew and wood destroying organisms need more than 19% moisture to live.

​It's a good idea to do a yearly check around toilets, bathtubs and all interior walls to ensure you catch moisture problems before they get expensive. I highly recommend the DR. Meter®  Intelligent Moisture Meter seen in the photo. 

Voltage Tester

A voltage tester can tell you if there is electricity in wires, outlets or behind walls (if they are sensitive enough) by just getting the tester close to the wiring. They sense the electromagnetic field created by voltage in wires. 


Before you pound a nail/start drilling into a wall it's always a good idea to see if there are live electrical wires in your way. We highly recommend the adjustable Sperry Voltage Sensor seen in the photo.  It can get sensitive enough to test for wires behind walls. 

Relative Humidity Sensor

My favorite relative humidity (air moisture content) and temperature sensor is made by SensorPush. It's two inches tall and tracks and sends (bluetooth) up to 20 days of relative humidity and temperature readings to your phone when you get within 300 feet of the sensor. The app allows you to preset temperature and relative humidity thresholds and receive notifications if they're surpassed. For example: if there's a leak under your house there will be an increase in the relative humidity and you'll get a notification. Catching a problem early can save you a lot of money.