1 minute read
Five Tools Every New Homeowner Needs
www.DanvilleLivingCA.com @DanvilleLivingCA #DanvilleLivingCA
By Lauren Parker, AAA San Ramon
Nothing takes the shine off first-time homeownership like the realization that you’re suddenly responsible for your own maintenance. We asked our AAA House Managers to assemble a list of the tools you’ll need to tackle the most common home maintenance challenges.
It’s Hammer Time! There’s a reason the claw hammer is the most common. It’s lightweight, versatile and perfect for wood-working projects of all kinds. Keep in mind: the size of your hammer should correspond with the size of your nail. Claw hammers tend to be preferable for bigger projects.
Meet your new best friend: the cordless drill. This is a seriously useful tool. Cordless drills are powerful and can be used to drive bolts into concrete surfaces, install drywall or even secure dressers to the wall (safety, first!) Best of all, it’s battery-powered.
Next up is the screwdriver. (Hold the OJ.) Perfect for assembling furniture or appliances, tightening cabinet knobs, changing out a switch plate, and any number of other household tasks. There are a variety of screwheads and sizes available. Our House Managers suggest purchasing a set of manual screwdrivers. A pair of flatheads (6 and 8 inches) and a Phillips should do the trick for the majority of uses.
Did somebody say tape measure? Our House Managers are partial to the old-school, 25-foot Stanley PowerLock Tape Measure, but digital tape measures have their advantages, particularly if you’re somebody who doesn’t like to jot down measurements in a notebook.
Needle-nose pliers? Tongue-and-groove pliers? Yes! Pliers are indispensable, but, like screwdrivers, there is more than one type. We narrowed the list down to the needlenose and the tongue-and-groove and decided to include both. Electrical repair. Basic plumbing. Odd jobs. It simply doesn’t happen without a reliable set of pliers.
The good news is you don’t have to be a certified handyman or a heavy duty tool user to be responsible for your home’s maintenance...but you do need tools. Fill your newly purchased kit with the tools described above and start successfully tackling your first home improvement project.
