New homes, renovations, and remodeling projects are sometimes completed with plastic plumbing systems. If you wanted to save on plumbing materials, you may have chosen to use a plastic pipe system as an alternative to copper pipes. With plastic plumbing, repairs and maintenance are going to require special tools. Here are the essential tools to put in your maintenance toolbox for plastic pipe systems:

1. Snips and Cutting Tools to Cut Lengths of Pipe

Snips and cutting tools for plastic pipes are essential. Get a small pipe cutting tool that is usually used for other materials like copper and PVC, which will make it easier to make accurate cuts. Tin snips, sharp pruners, and other cutting tools can be used to quickly cut lengths of pipes. There are also special tools for cutting plastic pipe systems, but they may be more expensive than snips and other manual cutting tools that are basically the same. You will have enough to make all the cuts to pipes you need with a good pair of snips and pipe cutters.

2. Teflon Tape and Plastic Plumbing Adhesives

Teflon tape or similar sealing tape for pipes is good to have for different types of fittings and connections. Even though your plumbing system is plastic, there are going to be fittings and connections made of brass and other materials. Usually, these pipe fittings are threaded and a couple of passes with Teflon tape will seal the connections, or be all you need to repair a small leak at a fitting. In addition, keep a few different types of pipe adhesives for plastic and PVC pipes to do any repairs that require replacing a section of damaged pipe.

3. Crimps and Connectors to Make Pipe Connections

There are various types of connections that are used with plastic plumbing systems. There are various connectors that you will need to use when doing repairs to plastic pipe systems. If you are replacing a section in the middle of a long span of pipe, couplings will be needed to make the connections to the existing pipe. Some couplings are wider sections of pipe that glue together to connect the old plumbing with the repairs, and others require crimps. There are various types of crimps that are used with plastic plumbing systems, which some are the screw-type, while others may require a special crimping tool.

These are some of the tools that you will need for maintenance and repairs of plastic pipe systems. Contact a plumbing service like

Plumber Boy to help with the installation, maintenance and major repairs to your plastic plumbing.