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Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
What do you do when your home is damaged during a bad storm? How will you fix your home if a natural disaster, like a hurricane or tornado, damages your home but prevents workers from being able to help you? You’re going to need to make some emergency repairs and you’ll need to have some supplies and tools on hand to do so.
In this article, we’ll review some of the tools and supplies you need to have on hand to be prepared for essential home repairs and emergencies. We’ll look at some hand tools, gas-powered tools, plumbing tools, and the materials you might need to make the repairs.
Possible Issues that You May Need to Fix Yourself
Of course, you can’t be prepared for every potential problem, but with some basic supplies, you can be prepared for many home repairs. In addition, with a bit of knowledge and creativity, you should be able to improvise a solution until help can arrive.
For example, if a tree falls in a hurricane, it might take down your power lines and break a few windows, leaving you exposed to the cold and rain and without power.
On the other hand, if there is an extra-cold spell or the power goes out during a blizzard, you might find yourself with burst pipes that need to be fixed. If you have the tools and supplies, you can repair or at least temporarily fix these issues. Let’s get started.
Hand Tools
Axe
A heavy-duty axe will help you chop down large trees that have fallen and need to be removed, chop firewood to heat your home, and break up objects.
Caulk Gun
Use a caulk gun to fix leaky windows and doors or stop water from leaking around the edges of tubs, sinks, and toilets.
Clamps
If you are gluing or just want to temporarily put two pieces of wood together, you’ll need some good strong clamps in various sizes and materials.
Hammer
A hammer is one of the most basic tools you need for your toolbox. You’ll use it for everything from hanging pictures to building raised beds to covering broken windows with plywood. So you need a very durable, high-quality hammer.
Hand Drill
As mentioned before, you might not be able to use your electric drill in an emergency, so keep a hand drill on hand. They take a little more elbow grease but will get the job done.
Handsaw
If the power is out, you won’t be able to use your standard electric saws, so make sure you have a hand saw. For example, you may want a hacksaw, common tooth saw, pruning saw to cut away branches, and a saw that you can safely use to cut plywood and 2 x 4s.
Hex Wrenches
Hex wrenches are used to put furniture together, fix bicycles, and do other small projects.
Jack Posts
Jack posts may seem like a frivolous thing to have on hand, but they are essential for propping up sagging beams in an emergency. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have a few on hand if your beams should start to sag or lean.
Level
Levels will help you know if a surface is truly horizontal or vertical. These are helpful for small home projects such as hanging pictures, but they’re also important when you are fixing floors, replacing beams, or building cabinets or other structures.
Lights
If the power is out, you might need some good lighting to work by. Have a number of flashlights and backup lights on hand to light up your work in case you need to make repairs after dark.
Pliers
Pliers can be used for things like bending wires on fencing, removing stuck nails, and electrical work. They are designed to take the power of your whole hand’s grip and pinpoint it to a smaller spot, such as a nail. Electrical pliers will have insulated handles to give you extra protection, too.
Pry Bar
A pry bar is essential if you need to remove damaged sheetrock, concrete, or wall boards. They can loosen stuck rocks, too.
Rake
Storms can leave behind all kinds of debris in your yard. A rake will help you remove it more quickly.
Ratchet Set
Ratchets are good for fixing furniture, tightening bolts, and loosening bolts.
Safety Glasses
Always protect your eyes, with safety glasses, especially when you may not be in a good position to get medical help in an emergency.
Saw Horses
A sawhorse can help you cut wood safely without causing damage to your floors or workbench.
Screwdrivers
You need a set of screwdrivers in both Phillips and flathead models. You’ll need screwdrivers that are tiny enough to open up battery doors on flashlights and large enough to handle big projects, too.
Shovel
You may need to dig out your well, remove silt from a flooded basement, or dig up potatoes from your garden. A good shovel will get you through a variety of projects.
Staple Gun
With a staple gun, you can reattach insulation that has fallen down, put up cardboard or tarps for privacy, and even staple thin pieces of wood.
Stud Finder
A stud finder will help you find the studs and beams in your home if you need to attach heavier items to your walls.
Tape Measure
Measure twice and cut once is the rule, so make sure your measuring tape is always handy, so you don’t waste valuable resources like wood.
Toolbox
A large, sturdy toolbox will keep all of your tools in one place and help you keep them organized so you always have what you need when you need it. For example, you don’t want to be hunting through your dark garage in an emergency to find a hammer!
Utility Knife
Look for a utility knife with replaceable blades (and make sure you have extras on hand!).
Wire Cutters
If you need to fix a fence or work on electric wires, you’ll need a good set of wire cutters.
Wrenches
Wrenches can be used on everything from cars to plumbing.
Gas Powered Tools
Blower
A gas-powered blower will help you remove debris from your home or driveway.
Chain Saw
A chain saw will help you cut through large trees that might block your access to your home.
Generator
A good generator can power a number of different types of electrical tools, your fridge, lights, and other appliances that can help you make repairs. But, of course, you’ll also need to have gas to run the generator.
Saw
Gas-powered saws can cut 2 x 4s, plywood, and other materials.
Materials
2x4s
Store 2x4s upright in a dry location, like a garage. You can use them to help sure up beams, build projects, or make repairs.
Caulk
You may need caulk to repair leaks around windows and doors, sinks, plumbing, cement, or to use as glue.
Cleaning Supplies
Water damage can cause mold and mildew quickly. So keep plenty of cleaning supplies on hand, such as rags, bleach, and other cleaners, in case of water damage or dirt.
Duct Tape
Duct tape can be used to repair plumbing leaks short term, fix air leaks, mask holes, and all sorts of other emergency purposes. Keep several rolls of duct tape on hand for emergencies.
Extra Blankets
Spare blankets can be used in a pinch for insulation, to cover cracked windows, as curtains, or to cover damaged floors. You can hang them to close off unused rooms if you don’t have heat. Or you can simply snuggle under them in case you need to get warm!
Heavy Duty Trash Bags
You can use sturdy trash bags for debris cleanup, to protect surfaces that could be damaged, to carry clothing or other heavy items, and as a tarp or paint cloth in a pinch.
Paint
Paint can be used to protect surfaces, cover over marks on the walls, or mark on your house that you need help with.
Plastic Sheeting
Plastic sheeting can be used to block off unused rooms, keep out dust, and cover over furniture to protect it from damage. In addition, you can use it to give extra protection to chicken coop rooves.
Plywood
Store plywood on its end, so it doesn’t warp. Keep several sheets on hand to cover your windows, fix walls, or build things.
PVC Pipe
Keep some standard sizes of PVC pipe and connectors on hand. You can use them to make plumbing repairs, fashion frames for emergency animal shelters, direct water away from your house from gutters, or suspended to hang things on.
Screws, Nails, and Bolts
Invest in a variety of fasteners, so you always have the right type on hand for the job.
Tarps
You can cover over leaky rooves, broken windows or protect items from rain damage with a few tarps. You can lay out tarps over your garden if you think hail from a coming storm is going to cause damage to your plants.
WD-40
If you need to remove old screws or fix noisy doors, you’ll definitely want some WD-40 on hand.
Wire
Keep some extra electric wire on hand, as well as fencing wire. You can use it to make repairs, fasten items, tie up animals in a pinch, or create hangers.
Wood Glue and Super Glue
Keep strong adhesives such as wood glue and super glue to bond items together.
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