When dealing with pipe systems it can be hard to determine if you should invest money in repairing them, or if it makes more sense, cost-wise, to actually replace your plumbing. The question is, what you should look for to know the difference?
While this decision is ultimately personal, there are a number of indications that are common and suggest that your money would be better spent replacing rather than repairing.
1 – Replace my Shower Top?
Do you need a new shower? If you encounter black mold, wonky water pressure, extreme leaks or sediment buildup, you need a new shower head.
Similarly, in the shower top itself, if you see black mold, rusty drains or discoloration, it generally means that you need a new one.
2 – What About my Water Heater?
The most reliable way to know if you need a new water heater is to consider how old it is. If your storage tank heater is pushing 15 years old or your tankless unit is close to 20 years, you are better off to get a new one.
As a side note, if you don’t have a tankless water heater, you should replace your traditional storage tank. Why? Tankless water heaters work on demand and are more energy efficient. That means lower bills for you.
3 – To Replace my Kitchen Sink or to Fix it?
If you’ve got a leaky faucet, you can likely repair it pretty easily. If you’ve got a smelly drain, you can get a drain cleaning done to rectify the problem. However, if the problem with the plumbing under your sink is more severe, you may need a new sink.
Open the cabinetry and check out the plumbing. Is it rusty? If it is corroded or has significant mineral buildup, it is a good time to replace the plumbing. It is probably leaking a little bit right now (check for moisture on the pipes or pooling underneath), but as the rust gets worse, the pipes will decay and break.
4 – Washing Machine
First of all, if your washing machine is still under warranty, you should try to get it repaired because it will be of no cost to you.
However, if your washing machine leaks a great deal, shakes a lot during use or makes funny, loud noises, you should replace it.
Don’t stress about trying to decide if you should replace or repair. Ask your Buffalo, NY plumber for his opinion.
