Working with plumbing that's been in place for a long time can be difficult. With the right wrenches and pliers, however, it's possible to move almost any pipe.
The pipe wrench is one of the most well-known tools for plumbing. Its long handle provides a lot of leverage to force stuck pipe joints to move. Its adjustable jaws can accommodate pipes of large diameters or be narrowed down to handle small connectors. Most pipe wrenches are made of cast steel, but aluminum versions exist. Some wrenches also have advanced jaws that are meant to provide an even better grip than the standard variety.
Pipe pliers look much like an oversized version of standard pliers, but they have a sharp curve at the head to allow them to be used in spaces with sharp angles. Some models have a push-button system that allows them to keep their selected width until you actually want to change it. This is an improvement over styles that have to be reset every time you let go of the pipe. When working with pipes made of soft materials, prevent mars with soft-jaw plumbing pliers. These pliers come with a soft covering over their jaws to allow for work on decorative surfaces. Some models allow the soft part to be removed for working with normal plumbing.
Removing or installing a tub drain can be a real job thanks to its lack of easy accessibility and the danger of marring the surrounding surfaces. With a tub drain wrench, this task is made much easier. These wrenches are placed into the drain where they work against the inside of the pipe to gain leverage. A ratchet or other tool handle is attached to the other end to turn them. Since they don't contact the surfaces outside the drain, the risk of marring the tub is eliminated.