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Tools
🔧 Home Repair Kit
The basics for a quick fix when nobody's coming today — and the one thing most kits skip entirely.
Know your shutoffs — the most important page in this kit
Locate these today, not during a burst pipe or a gas smell. This is a 10-minute walk with your whole household.
Stops flooding and water damage at the source — most homeowners never touch this until water's already on the floor.
💧 Water mainTypically where the line enters the house — a basement, crawlspace, utility closet, or a street-side valve box. Tag it once you find it.
A gas leak is a fire and explosion risk within minutes — this is the single highest-stakes shutoff in the house.
🔥 Gas shutoffAt the meter, usually a rectangular valve — a quarter-turn shuts it off. If you smell gas: shut it off outside, don't touch light switches, leave the house, and call from outside. Never re-enter until a professional confirms it's safe.
⚡ Electrical main breakerIn the panel box — the largest breaker or switch, labeled "MAIN." Shutting this off stops power to the whole house — necessary before most electrical repairs, and immediately after any flooding that reaches outlets or panels.
Do this drill this weekPhysically walk your family to each shutoff. Take a photo of each location. Tape simple instructions next to each one. This takes 10 minutes and it's the difference between a quick fix and a flooded basement or a gas explosion.
Hand tools
The 80% of small repairs — a loose hinge, a wobbly shelf, a stripped screw — that don't need anything specialized.
- Hammer
- Screwdriver set (flathead + Phillips)
- Adjustable wrench
- Pliers
- Utility knife
Repair & hold-it-together
Temporary fixes that buy you time until a real repair is possible — a tarp over a hole beats an open hole every time.
- Duct tape
- Zip ties, assorted sizes
- Tarp, at least one large
- Plastic sheeting
- Rope or paracord
- Assorted nails and screws
Yard & access
Storm debris blocks driveways and damages roofs — this is what clears a path when nobody's coming to do it for you.
- Chainsaw — know how to use it safely before you need it
Keep nearby
Repairs often happen in the dark or the middle of the night — light and a multi-tool cover most of what a full toolbox would.
- Flashlight or headlamp dedicated to this kit
Store this kit somewhere dry and reachable — a garage shelf or closet, not buried behind other storage.
