10 tools every home owner should have

Be prepared for those renovation jobs or general fix-it jobs. Here's a list of 10 tools every new home owner should have. 

•  Probably the most basic of all tools is the hammer, which is used to drive nails into surfaces to join them.
• Hammers come in various sizes and weights. Get one that fits your hand comfortably and is the right weight for your strength.

• Screwdrivers come in many widths and lengths, with different tip shapes to fit different screws.
• The three most essential screwdrivers are the common or slotted screwdriver; the Phillips screwdriver, which has a cross-hatch "X" shape at its tip, with corners that are slightly rounded; and the Robertson screwdriver or square tip.

• Every homeowner's toolbox should contain a few basic fasteners. The most widely used are nails, which come in a variety of metals, styles, and sizes for driving into a variety of materials. The common nail has a thin, flat head.
• If you want to drive the nail head below the surface, use a fini nail, which has a very small head.

• Different types of screws are used for joining wood, sheet metal, wallboard, and masonry. Screws also come in various lengths and thicknesses and with many different head types.
• The most common are slotted screws, which just have one straight line that runs across the entire head, Phillips head screws, which have an "X" on top, and Robertson screws which have a square slot on the head.

• A bolt is a flat-ended screw that together with a nut forms a mini-clamp that holds pieces together firmly, yet can be disassembled easily.
• A flat washer is usually placed between the bolt head or nut and the pieces being fastened to spread the pressure and protect the surface.

• Home maintenance can involve a fair amount of drilling. You'll need a drill to do even simple tasks around the house, like hanging heavy picture frames.
• Using a hand drill over a period of time is tiring, which is why it's worthwhile to invest in a good electric drill. Better yet, you'll be able to use a good cordless drill — one that operates at several speeds and in reverse — everywhere, even if you're far from an electrical outlet.

• Measuring a job properly is vitally important if you want to get it right. (Have you ever tried wallpapering without measuring?) The best multi-purpose measuring tool that everyone should have is a retractable tape measure — the flexible, spring-loaded metal rule that's contained in a small square case that you can clip to your belt.

• A spirit level will show you when a surface is perfectly horizontal; it's good for easy tasks like hanging pictures (and more difficult carpentry jobs).
• Simply place it on top of a surface and check its small, liquid-filled vials; when the bubble is at the centre of the vial, the surface is level.

• Probably the handiest cutting tool is the small utility knife, which comes with a variety of blades to cut wood, vinyl, and other materials.
• A good straight-handled model will have a button that adjusts the length of the blade or retracts it into the handle for safety.
• Some models also have storage space in the handle for extra blades.

• For cutting metal you'll need a hacksaw, which consists of a sturdy metal frame with a pistol-grip and removable narrow blades. You can buy an adjustable hacksaw that accepts various sizes of blade.
• For reaching into tight spots, use a miniature hacksaw.