Parts and Replacement Equipment To Keep On-Hand

diy 23-12-2025

Table of Contents

Introduction

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This post outlines parts that one should have on-hand for routine maintenance and emergency repairs. This list should be considered along with the list of tools that one should have available if living in the rural Philippines in our Essential Tools for Expats Living in the Rural Philippines.

In order for this information to be useful, you need to the tools, the parts, and the knowledge to be successful. In a future post, we’ll explore skill sets one should develop to be successful in the rural Philippines.

Not every one of these categories will be relevant to your situation. If some of these categories are left to the (semi-)professional available in your region; so, be it.

Electrical

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1. Protection & Control Components (Top Priority)

These prevent damage, not just outages.

If you don’t have an RCD, add one.

2. Switches & Outlets (High Failure Items)

Humidity kills these.

Buy known brands—cheap ones fail early.

3. Wiring & Cabling (Short Lengths Go Far)

You rarely need full rolls—just emergency lengths.

4. Connectors, Terminals & Consumables

These fix bad joints—very common in PH homes.

5. Lighting Components

Avoid ultra-cheap LEDs—they die early.

6. Grounding & Bonding Parts (Often Missing)

Many homes lack proper earth grounding.

Proper grounding solves many “mystery” problems.

7. Conduit & Physical Protection

Rodents and weather destroy exposed wiring.

8. Generator / Solar / UPS Interface Parts (Common in Rural Areas)

9. Battery Systems

There are many technologies / products that can be used for a battery backup system. It’s hard to build a comprehensive list of parts, but read our Whole-Home Battery Backup Solutions blog post. Also, consider having:

9. Low-Voltage & Network Parts (Often Overlooked)

10. Spares for Known Weak Points

If something has failed once, stock another.

Assume it will fail again.

11. Storage & Protection Tips

Plumbing

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1. Pipe & Fitting Essentials (Top Priority)

PVC (most common)

Stock in ½”, ¾”, and 1” sizes:

PPR (increasingly common)

If your house uses PPR, stock these or regret it later:

If you don’t own a PPR fusion tool, add one.

  1. Valves & Flow Control (Always Fail First)

Buy brass, not plastic, when possible.

3. Seals, Gaskets & Leak Stoppers

These fix most emergencies.

4. Hoses & Flexible Connections

5. Drain & Waste System Parts

Avoid chemical drain cleaners—they destroy PVC and septic systems.

6. Toilet & Bathroom Spares (High Use, High Failure)

These parts fail quietly until they don’t.

7. Water Tank & Pump System Parts

Very important in rural setups.

Stock these if you rely on a pump or overhead tank.

8. Cement, Adhesives & Chemicals

Buy good brands—cheap glue fails under pressure.

9. Miscellaneous Hardware That Saves the Day

10. Emergency Repair Box (Keep Ready)

Put these together in one box:

This box solves most midnight leaks.

Storage Tips (Humidity Is the Enemy)

Reality Check

In the rural Philippines:

Stockpiling small plumbing parts gives you control, uptime, and peace of mind.

Concrete

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Reality First (Why This Matters)

Having the right supplies on hand prevents weak mixes, cracking, and redo work.

1. Cement & Aggregates (Core Materials)

Cement

Never assume the next bag will be fresh.

Sand

Dirty sand weakens concrete fast.

Gravel / Aggregate

2. Reinforcement Materials (Non-Optional)

Concrete cracks. Reinforcement controls it.

Unreinforced concrete is temporary art.

3. Formwork & Containment Supplies

Forms fail more than mixes.

4. Mixing & Placement Tools

Consistency matters more than strength.

5. Chemical Additives & Repair Compounds

Small additions make big improvements.

Avoid adding extra water—it kills strength.

6. Curing & Protection Materials (Often Ignored)

Curing matters more than finishing.

Concrete cures best wet, not hot.

7. Crack Control & Finishing Supplies

Cracks are inevitable—control where they happen.

8. Measuring & Quality Control Items

Guessing ratios is how concrete fails quietly.

9. Fasteners & Anchoring Supplies

Add anchors during the pour—drilling later is worse.

10. Safety & Cleanup Supplies

Gloves Dust masks Eye protection Rubber boots Vinegar (cement burns neutralizer) Wire brush Wet cement burns skin—quietly.

Storage Tips (Tropical Survival Rules)

Humidity ruins more projects than bad math.

Home Maintenance

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The decorative features (tile, paint, curtains, etc) of your home that you bought during the building process may be really hard to find down the road. So, buy some extra and add it to your stock pile of parts.

Hopefully, you get the idea.

Blacksmithing

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Reality Check

1. Forge & Fuel Supplies (Keep the Fire Going)

Stock more than you think you need—wet season matters.

Air & Fire Control

2. Steel Stock (This Is Your Currency)

Only stock what you actually use

Label and segregate steel types—guessing ruins heat treatment.

3. Anvil & Work holding Consumables

4. Fasteners, Rivets & Joinery Materials

Forge-welds are great—mechanical fasteners are faster.

5. Quenching & Heat-Treatment Supplies

Poor quenching ruins good steel permanently.

6. Fluxes, Coatings & Chemicals

Store dry and sealed—humidity kills these.

7. Abrasives & Finishing Materials

A forge makes shape—abrasives make function.

8. Tool Steel & Replacement Parts

Broken handles stop work completely.

9. Fabrication & Support Materials

Blacksmithing often ends in fabrication.

10. Storage & Corrosion Control (Tropics Matter)

Rust never sleeps—especially in the Philippines.

Reality Check

In the rural Philippines:

A well-stocked blacksmith doesn’t wait for suppliers—they adapt and keep working.

Carpentry

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Reality Checks

1. Lumber & Sheet Goods (Keep Small but Versatile)

2. Fasteners (Most Repairs Die Here)

Cheap fasteners rust—buy coated or stainless when possible.

3. Adhesives & Bonding Agents

Always keep glue sealed and upright.

4. Termite & Rot Defense Materials

Non-negotiable in the Philippines.

Treat cut ends immediately.

5. Shimming, Leveling & Fitting Supplies

Doors, cabinets, and frames are never square.

6. Hinges, Hardware & Small Fittings

Hardware stores often run out of matching sets.

7. Surface Repair & Finishing Materials

Finish protects wood from moisture.

8. Exterior Repair Supplies

Outside wood fails faster than inside.

9. Storage & Moisture Control

Unprotected stock becomes unusable quickly.

10. Emergency “Fix It Now” Wood Repair Kit

Keep these together:

This kit handles 80% of household wood failures.

Reality Check

In the rural Philippines:

Stockpiling basic carpentry supplies means repairs happen today, not next week.

Gardening

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This focuses on consumables, materials, and survival items that keep food, landscaping, drainage, and plant health under control year-round.

Reality Checks

1. Soil, Compost & Growing Media

2. Fertilizers (Balanced & Targeted)

Over fertilizing burns plants fast in heat.

3. Pest & Disease Control (Constant Battle)

Avoid heavy chemical use — it backfires.

4. Seeds, Cuttings & Planting Materials

Seeds degrade fast — rotate stock.

5. Mulch & Ground Cover

Mulch is your best water-saving tool.

6. Irrigation & Water Control Supplies

Expect pumps to fail — gravity matters.

7. Drainage & Flood Management

Water management matters more than watering.

8. Plant Support & Protection

Storms break plants overnight.

9. Containers & Propagation Supplies

Containers give control over bad soil.

10. Pruning & Maintenance Consumables

(Not tools — the stuff tools consume.)

Unclean cuts spread disease.

11. Composting & Waste Handling

Waste becomes fertilizer fast here.

12. Safety & Survival Items

Heat and insects cause most injuries.

Reality Check

In the rural Philippines:

Stockpiling gardening supplies means less work, more food, and fewer emergencies.

Generator Maintenance

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A list of generator parts you should have available is discussed in the The Time My Diesel Generator Broke Down During A Typhoon post. Scroll down to the Tools and Spare Parts sections.

Cars & Motorcycles

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A list of motorcycle and car parts one should keep on hand in the rural Philippines for routine maintenance and emergency repairs can be found in the Essential Car & Motorcycle Maintenance Tools & Parts: Rural Philippines Edition blot post.

Internet

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See the Internet Access: Philippines Edition blog post for building redundancy and high availability into your internet access capability.

Computers

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If you have a laptop (or desktop) computer and you need to have it available, then you may want to have:

You might want to consider a NAS appliance for reliable storage.

Thinking of Moving to the Philippines? Get Reliable Guidance

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Online communities are helpful for general questions. For anything important, you still need accurate, professional, and updated information. E636 Expat Services helps foreigners with:

If you want to move with confidence instead of relying on random comments online, we can guide you every step of the way.

Book a consultation with E636 and start your journey the right way.

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E636 Team

Expert guidance and practical solutions for your new life in the Philippines.
Founded by an American expat living there since 2019. Get in touch →

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