While modern plumbing innovations may not be something you think about often in your day-to-day life, new tools and technologies have made it much easier for homeowners to handle common plumbing problems and conserve water on their own.

In this blog, we discuss several home plumbing gadgets and products you can use in your home to improve water use and overall plumbing performance.

General Purpose/Home Improvement

When it comes to DIY plumbing care or cleaning, there are a number of unique tools you can use to effectively get the job done. The following section highlights some innovative home improvement tools all DIY-savvy homeowners should have when tending to their own plumbing system.

First off, one of the most handy tools you can have to DIY sink care is an adjustable basin wrench. This tool is a must for sink repairs and faucet installation, as it takes all the challenge out of accessing difficult-to-reach nuts and fittings, which often hold faucets in-place behind the sink. Manually reaching these fittings can be a real pain - adjustable basin wrenches help homeowners avoid these frustrations easily.

Another helpful DIY plumbing tool all homeowners should have is a drain snake, or auger, which can eliminate stubborn clogs and internal drain residue that withstand conventional methods, like plunging and liquid cleaning solutions. Typical, coiled drain snakes operate via crank, which forces a cable through clogged drain pipes and either breaks apart or grabs onto debris, much like a hook. 

Toilet augers, designed specifically for severely backed up toilet drains, can also be purchased at your local home improvement store, and work to the same effect.

If you use your sink’s garbage disposal often, there’s a fair chance you’ve had your unit back up and clog on you at one point. Digging inside your unit with a utensil to free the blockage is nowhere near the most effective solution; instead, try using a garbage disposal wrench, or conventional allen key set, to clear troublesome disposal jams. At the bottom of your unit, insert the wrench into the key hole and turn counter-clockwise and clockwise until the unit is cleared, and debris loosened. 

If you have to manually reach into your unit and grab loosened debris, do so only after you’ve unplugged the unit entirely!

Lawn and Irrigation Gadgets

Irrigation system rain sensors are absolute essentials for the environmentally conscious. While there are a number of sensor models and configurations you can find, they typically act on the same principle: either a water catching cup,  Affordable and fully automated, rain sensors limit unnecessary water consumption during rainy months, which means huge water bill savings for you, the homeowner. 

In addition to rain sensors, soil moisture sensors can help you cut back on over-watering your lawn, and in turn driving up monthly water costs. These sensors measure lawn moisture by detecting neutron properties of water within the soil, as well as electrical resistance indicative of moisture. Affordable and easy to install, soil moisture sensors can help you determine whether your soil is too dry, too moist or just right for your lawn and plants.

Also, the irrigation controller you select for your home can have a big effect on how efficiently you use water. Don’t buy the cheapest controller available - extra features and capabilities can go a long way. Look for a controller that includes the following features:

• Multiple start times and programming
• Remote capabilities
• Calendar options
• Percentage adjustment

Conservation Throughout Your Home

Innovations in plumbing have by and large paved the way for more eco-friendly living. Tankless water heaters, low-flow faucets and WaterSense-labeled toilet models help homeowners across America save hundreds, if not thousands, of gallons of otherwise wasted water each month. Of course, this means significant savings on regular water bills, as well.