Spare parts/supplies for home, appliance, and/or small engine emergency repairs

[Crosscut]

Given the recent storm damage and HVAC problems experienced by a couple members thought this might be a good topic, what kind of parts or supplies do you have or recommend having to perform emergency repairs when a trip to the hardware store (or ordering from Amazon) isn't an option?  For the purposes of this thread guess I'm thinking:

1) Low cost (say $20 or so)
2) Universal, generic, or industry standard size/compatibility, or an assortment of common sizes/types if in a kit

Thought this might be helpful to catch something you (or me) might not have thought of, or as resource to check before heading to the hardware store or placing the next online order.  Some items that I either have or that are on my wish list:

Thermocouples, since many gas appliances and propane heaters use them.
Well pump pressure switch if you have a water pressure tank.
Foam air filter material (cut to fit), fuel lines, and inline fuel filters for minor small engine repairs. 
Hose clamps. 
O Rings.  Mostly fixed a very badly leaking pump jack with a couple of these when a complete gasket repair kit from the manufacturer was $250.
Buss fuses.  Many car adapters/chargers use these, and some older electronic equipment will use these on the circuit board near the power supply. 
Barbed hose fittings.  Needed a couple of these to repair a mouse-chewed windshield wiper fluid hose just a couple weeks ago.
Silicone caulk, LeakSeal Flexible Rubber Spray,Insulating foam sealant.  Weatherproofing.
Tire repair kit
And if you don't already have them, a Torx Bit Set since so many manufacturers use torx head screws for their products (which I assume can only be to discourage DIY repairs).

I think that covers just about everything... 

[tirls]

That is a good topic.
 

• Lots of O-Rings and sealants.
• Angle valves and hoses for the water tap, I find these leak quite easily.
• spare wastewater pipes. Both for repairs and enough so I can build a junction away from our house, should the sewage system be blocked for longer. We have an old pit latrine, but this way I could still use fresh water or redirect the rain water away from the foundation and basement without creating a mess.
• Basically, everything to make emergency repairs for my water system, both fresh and sewage.
• I have one of these drill-cranked water pumps and flexible tube in case I have some flooded area and the power is out. I can operate it with a hand drill if I need to.
• Spare fuses for the distribution box.
• Lots of tools with alternatives for a power outage: hand drills, saws, planes, ...
• Some shingles for the roof and some big, sturdy tarps should there be a bigger problem as well as bitumen felt. The tarps can also be used should a window break.
• Rope, cable ties, hose clamps, lots of screws and nails in different sizes. I don´t know how it´s called in English, but a punched steel strapping
• Threaded rods with matching nuts. I can fabricate bolts if I need something stronger or bigger than a screw out of these.
• spare construction wood, beams and roof batten. I live in a half-timbered house, so with this and reused mud I can pretty much rebuild our entire home.
• Some of these aluminized windscreen foils you can buy for your car in winter. These are useful for insulation purposes.
• a bag of burnt lime, but I think this depends on the house.
• lots of buckets

Thats what I can currently think of, or things we have. I hadn´t even thought about it before, despite working in the building industry. I need to mull over this some more.

[Brekar]

I keep quite few parts around for small engine repair. I have an old 2-stroke Lawnboy push mower from the 70's that gets a lot of usage by my boy mowing our yard. I have several disassembled complete engines for the same mower that came with the mower when I received it. I've used several parts over the 10 or so years I've had it, and I've done the same with the old wheel horse lawnmower we use as well. Keeping old but still usable parts around is always a viable idea.

The same applies to o-rings and sealants, various types of lubricants and/or greases, fuses, 2x4's/2x6's, nails and screws, rope, paracord, cable ties (metal/plastic), and so much more.

I've also found its useful to keep cheaper items like thermocoupler for the water heater or a capacitor or 2 for the furnace or A/C. Even the cans of spray foam are handy. The same applies to stuff like rolls of rodent proof mesh screen.

There is so many different things that one could keep around that it's almost person specific...

[MacWa77ace]

Parts etc:

For small engine repairs I keep:

a few feet each of two sizes of fuel lines.
spare carburetor bulbs.
fuel line filters
Spare edger blades [only because I buy them from my supplier 5 at a time. LMS = Local mower store]


Electric motors I keep Spare Capacitors:

HVAC for the compressor and evaporator.
Garage door opener
Pool pump motor

Miscellaneous but related:

Carb Cleaner
WD40
Seafoam for the two stroke cleanout.
Magic Lube for pool/sprinkler gaskets
White Lithium
Liquid Gasket
Flex seal
Metallic Duct Tape
Duct tape
Multi-Meter
3 in 1 oil
Various sized bolts, washers, lock washers and nuts.

Tools Etc:


For small engine repairs you need the torx drivers these days. So get a set of those.
Spark plug gap gauge
Good socket set SAE and Metric.
Phillips and Flat head screwdriver set.
Wrench set SAE and Metric
Grinder [to sharpen mower blades and other things]


Electrical etc:

Black, white, red wire in two gauges
Spare Couplers
Soldering equipment and solder removal.
Crimping tools various
Wire stripping tools various

ADDITIONAL but off topic


I have tools and some spare parts for
Auto Repairs and Maintenance
Auto Body repair
Irrigation repairs
Plumbing repairs
Tile
Screen
Roofing repairs and emergency weatherproofing

[wolf_from_wv]

PVC pipe and fittings
CPVC pipe and fittings
(House has a mix at the moment)

Garden hose repair fittings

Crescent wrenches
Pipe wrenches
12V water transfer pump
Battery
Charger.  AC and solar

Siphon bulb

Rubber pipe boots and adapters
Pipe clamps

Baking wire

Machine screws and bolts standard and metric
All thread

Fuses
Wire terminals
Wire

Leftover exhaust pipe pieces

JB weld
Epoxy
Glues
Tapes

[NapalmMan67]

Appliance parts yes.
Plumbing parts yes.
Electrical parts yes.
Adhesives, Lubricants, Fasteners etc. yes.
Tools for most any repair I can perform yes.


Not much in the way of small engine parts, because there's only one that I'd consider an emergency use item, that being my chainsaw. I've never felt it an emergency to repair a lawnmower and have to cut the grass, or repair the blower right now to clear leaves. Maybe I'm not thinking thinking broad enough for those?

 And I'm fairly certain none of my small engines are new enough to require torx bits, or at least not that I've encountered in regular maintenance that I recall.

[SCBrian]

I think a good tool set is a great start, but what comes after needs to be specific to your own situation. 
Are you nestled in suburbia?  Might not need to keep the spare engine for the snow mobile.
Middle of the woods in a remote Canadian province? Boy - it'd sure be nice to have that spare engine...

Go through the lists above, see what works for you.  Remember some things are universal, tools, bailing wire, etc.  Just because you bought that hose clamp for the overflow tank on the truck, doesn't mean you can't use it for the blown garden hose. 

Most importantly "KNOWLEDGE".  Why keep that spare engine, if you don't even know how to change a spark plug?

[Lambykins]

This such a great topic!
When I get back to New Hampshire I'll be staying with a friend initially.
Within a few months, I expect to be in my own apartment, or possibly a small house.
Even in an apartment, having stuff on hand to make emergency repairs to plumbing, etc. would be an excellent idea.

[Crosscut]

All good stuff, but I was hoping for more links to specific items   I'm lazy; just wanted to click your link, agree that's a good item to have, and 'add to cart'.

Mentioned in a different thread about my clothes washer supply line leak and my first experience using the Sharkbite fittings.  Since my leak was before the washer shutoff valve I had to turn off the water to the whole house while fixing it.  With these, just cut the pipe before the leak, a little sanding, and snap a shutoff valve on:

Close quarters pipe cutter   Less clearance required, like inside walls.
Sharkbite ball valve  Check your pipe sizes, many US homes use 3/4" for the main and 1/2" for the branches I believe.

Least the rest of the house will have water while you fix the other end, or worst case just live without that particular branch or faucet.  This could come in handy too:

50 feet of PEX tubing

[wolf_from_wv]

I like to keep a sillcock key, crescent wrench, pipe wrench, and various shutoff knobs handy.

[tirls]

Even in an apartment, having stuff on hand to make emergency repairs to plumbing, etc. would be an excellent idea.

At least have a basic toolbox. The number of times I had to borrow a neighbour something as simple as a screwdriver or hammer when I still lived in a flat was astonishing.

[SCBrian]

having stuff on hand to make emergency repairs to plumbing, etc. would be an excellent idea.

I don't think I saw it mentioned above, but one of the things I consider a 'must have' is a water meter key/curb key/Shutoff wrench.
It usually costs about 12-20$ and it's one of those items that you never use, unless you need it RIGHT HEKING NOW!



Your situation may be different, but the last few houses I've lived in, did not have house side main shut off valves, so to kill the water to the house (think broken pipe).  I had to go curbside.  For reference, Wifes last home, had house side shutoffs... YMMV. An adjustable Crescent Wrench and a screwdriver can be substituted in emergency's...
   

[NapalmMan67]

having stuff on hand to make emergency repairs to plumbing, etc. would be an excellent idea.

I don't think I saw it mentioned above, but one of the things I consider a 'must have' is a water meter key/curb key/Shutoff wrench.
It usually costs about 12-20$ and it's one of those items that you never use, unless you need it RIGHT HEKING NOW!



Your situation may be different, but the last few houses I've lived in, did not have house side main shut off valves, so to kill the water to the house (think broken pipe).  I had to go curbside.  For reference, Wifes last home, had house side shutoffs... YMMV. An adjustable Crescent Wrench and a screwdriver can be substituted in emergency's...
 

Make sure you can locate your Buffalo box and then make sure you get a long enough key to reach the shut off also.  Ours is curbside and about an 8' drop to the shut off valve.

[MacWa77ace]

Spare mowers, trimmers and edgers that you can scavenge for parts or use as backup.

I cracked the main shaft on my Ryobi powerhead. How'd I do that? Well the gears on my Craftsman hedge trimmer attachment finally gave out after 6+ years, and repairing/replacing them would have cost almost as much as a replacement attachment. So I opted for buying a replacement, but the replacement had a shaft that was about 12" long vs the original which was about 6". I noticed the difference in additional torque on my hedging passes right away, as I could feel the torque in my arm. felt much heavier.





Shortly thereafter, maybe 4 months of use, while I'm swinging the powerhead with the hedger attachment it 'flops' like a wet noodle. the shaft cracked and bent on the powerhead.

But I had an old Ryobi powerhead, which I was able to pull the drive shaft off that model and attach to the newer model powerhead with only one 'customization'.

Basically replacing the shaft on this model

with the one from this different model.


2 is one.

Oh, and the transmission on my Toro 22" inch recycler self propelled mower just went out. Bought that mower used about 12 years ago. The replacement transmission is $95. I paid $160 for that mower used back then, they are about $360-499 new today.



Funny thing about that, I didn't know it had stopped working and I'm zipping around mowing the lawn and getting really tired and wondering what the wetbulb is [inside joke from another thread] because I'm dying pushing that thing with the broke transmission. I was like 'what the hell?!? pant, pant' LOL. So I have two other walk behind mowers I can bring back into service or order the new transmission and replace that. I'll probably do both as I've been meaning to bring the other mowers back to life anyhow. Both were scavenged. If I didn't already have those two extra mowers I might buy used replacement off of OfferUp or Craigslist but since I already have three I should fix those first right?

[echo83]

I like to keep a sillcock key, crescent wrench, pipe wrench, and various shutoff knobs handy.

Is there a particular model of sillcock key you recommend? 

I'd make a post, but I don't want to trigger a circa-2008 ZS sillcock legality discussion. 

 Or do I.....

[Brekar]

I like to keep a sillcock key, crescent wrench, pipe wrench, and various shutoff knobs handy.

Is there a particular model of sillcock key you recommend?

I'd make a post, but I don't want to trigger a circa-2008 ZS sillcock legality discussion.

Or do I.....

I have 3 of these Silcock Keys for my various grips. They are a handy tool to have around...

[MacWa77ace]

Not much in the way of small engine parts, because there's only one that I'd consider an emergency use item, that being my chainsaw. I've never felt it an emergency to repair a lawnmower and have to cut the grass, or repair the blower right now to clear leaves. Maybe I'm not thinking thinking broad enough for those?

 And I'm fairly certain none of my small engines are new enough to require torx bits, or at least not that I've encountered in regular maintenance that I recall.

It sucks to blow out a carburetor bulb or get a fuel line leak when you've already started your lawnwork and you're all dirty and sweaty and have to stop, clean up and change, then jump in the car to run to the supply store to buy the part and then come back and repair the tool, and then start in again on the lawnwork. Or even find out before you start that you've got a problem and don't have the spares so have to run out and buy them. I've had it happen to me before. So I buy extra to fix these 'emergencies' while I'm already sweaty an dirty and can finish in a reasonable timeframe.

In South Florida in the summer, with all the sun and rain showers my yard grows 3-5" in a week, so can't put off that maintenance for even a week. So if I miss a week the next week is TEOTWAWKI. 

Fuel lines, fuel filters and carb bulbs are the weakest link in my experience and they may be universal for your chainsaws.

[wolf_from_wv]

Kobalt  Four Way Key

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Combo-Wrench/1002633336?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-plb-_-ggl-_-LIA_PLB_208_Plumbing-Repair-_-1002633336-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=CjwKCAiA9qKbBhAzEiwAS4yeDaeG_z_90QUT7EBZg9tYU3FasJ-oTnSz5g_FG-BtkrsEklCq-ls77xoCM0IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

They all seem to be the same to me.

When I replace a water valve or something, I usually take the handle off and put it in a bag.

Extra bleeder keys for the radiators
Extra thermocouples for the boiler
Extra faucet washers and packing material

[NapalmMan67]

Not much in the way of small engine parts, because there's only one that I'd consider an emergency use item, that being my chainsaw. I've never felt it an emergency to repair a lawnmower and have to cut the grass, or repair the blower right now to clear leaves. Maybe I'm not thinking thinking broad enough for those?

 And I'm fairly certain none of my small engines are new enough to require torx bits, or at least not that I've encountered in regular maintenance that I recall.

It sucks to blow out a carburetor bulb or get a fuel line leak when you've already started your lawnwork and you're all dirty and sweaty and have to stop, clean up and change, then jump in the car to run to the supply store to buy the part and then come back and repair the tool, and then start in again on the lawnwork. Or even find out before you start that you've got a problem and don't have the spares so have to run out and buy them. I've had it happen to me before. So I buy extra to fix these 'emergencies' while I'm already sweaty an dirty and can finish in a reasonable timeframe.

In South Florida in the summer, with all the sun and rain showers my yard grows 3-5" in a week, so can't put off that maintenance for even a week. So if I miss a week the next week is TEOTWAWKI. 

Fuel lines, fuel filters and carb bulbs are the weakest link in my experience and they may be universal for your chainsaws.

Ok, but in 40+ years I've had one primer bulb fail... in winter on a snow blower that froze and cracked, I hand shoveled.  Never had a fuel line fail, but not so say they can't. I also never saw the need to get cleaned up, change clothes and then go out for parts during any project I was working on, but I'm not a prima donna   and don't care what people think of me if I'm on a parts run.

FWIW- I drain all the fuel from my machines and clean the carbs/line/filters prior to seasonal storage, so there's no fuel sitting long term and promote extra rot in the plastic and rubber parts.


I have 3 mowers available (actually want to be rid of 2 of them), although nice to have spares, I'd rather have the space they take up at this point in time of life vs the spare parts they offer.

I mow our grass once a month, or when the cute and fuzzy bunnies and squirrels leave trails in the grass like mini Raptors as they move across the ground.
.

[MacWa77ace]

Ok, but in 40+ years I've had one primer bulb fail... in winter on a snow blower that froze and cracked, I hand shoveled.  Never had a fuel line fail, but not so say they can't. I also never saw the need to get cleaned up, change clothes and then go out for parts during any project I was working on, but I'm not a prima donna   and don't care what people think of me if I'm on a parts run.

FWIW- I drain all the fuel from my machines and clean the carbs/line/filters prior to seasonal storage, so there's no fuel sitting long term and promote extra rot in the plastic and rubber parts.


I have 3 mowers available (actually want to be rid of 2 of them), although nice to have spares, I'd rather have the space they take up at this point in time of life vs the spare parts they offer.

I mow our grass once a month, or when the cute and fuzzy bunnies and squirrels leave trails in the grass like mini Raptors as they move across the ground.
.

In my AO our season is year round. I don't know what it is but we have 10% ethanol gas here which everyone says messes up the silicone gas lines and bulbs. The gas lines get hardened and then start to leak where they go into the gas tank on the power heads of the trimmers. And the bulbs crack and leak. I'm in Florida so maybe the heat is the culprit but silicone is not supposed to be effected by temps in the range we get. But the gas lines only last 2-3 years.

It may also be that I keep repairing my tools where everyone else or the 'best if used by' is only a couple of years and when they stop working they get trashed. I've always used the budget brands. Not the professional brands, although I recently inherited a Stihl trimmer and a Stihl blower.

Now on my mower there are rubber gas lines and carb primer bulb and the current one I'm using is over 10 years old and i've never replaced the gas line or bulb on that one.

In December I'm mowing/trimming every other week, and end of Jan beginning of Feb I might be able to get away with every 3 weeks. February is our winter here in Florida. Dec Jan is fall, March April is spring and May-November is summer. Aug-Sept is 'peak' summer. LOL.