When you need kitchen faucet repair, don’t wait to fix that drip or get a new installation immediately.
Sure, when you need kitchen faucet repair, Decatur has lots of options. But only one of them has more than five decades’ worth of experience serving the Midtown area. Plus there are the sparkling personalities that make us so ding-dang fun to work with.
Okay, well, maybe not fun… we’re not saying that our passions are necessarily yours. But can we help us if we get excited about wrenches and washers? What can we say; we just do. That makes us the premier choice for All Things Faucet, from stemming leaks to setting you up with beautiful new kitchen or bathroom fixtures.
Once you decide to address that leaky faucet, it’s important to answer a crucial question: repair or replace? Great question, and it comes down to one main determining factor. Before we address that, though, let’s talk about what situations call for a fix, and which call for a full replacement.
Why You Might Need Faucet Repair
Quite aside from the fact that nothing is as annoying as a dripping faucet (just ask your aggravated 3 a.m. self), leaks can cost you money on your water bill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average household wastes 10,000 gallons annually, courtesy of leaks. That equates to 90 gallons every day, or more. The good news? Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10% on their water bills. So whatever money you spend on a new faucet you’ll quickly recoup in less than a year.
Not only does a troublesome faucet affect your family’s bottom line. But it’s also extremely harmful to the environment, especially with water quickly becoming the world’s most precious commodity. So if you know you have a faucet failure, you have a responsibility to your bank account and the world to get it fixed pronto.
Now, when is faucet repair – as opposed to replacement – the right call?
Here Are Several Scenarios in which Faucet Repair Does the Trick
- When the leak is superficial and easily accessed
- Or, when the faucet is relatively new
- When the fixes will cost less than an entirely new faucet and handles
- If the faucet is younger than eight years, after which point it needs replacement no matter what
- Or, if the problem is simple, such as a worn-out washer, a defective valve, an old O-ring, bad seals, loose parts or broken pipes
- If the problem is actually elsewhere, such as a pipe that burst due to a cold snap
- If your plumber seems confident about the fix working (and if they don’t, just take our word for it and go with the replacement)
Most of all, if the problem was poor service from a previous plumber, you can frequently fix the problem with handier help. However, we can’t save all faucets. Sometimes you just have to say goodbye, so put that beloved faucet on a wicker raft, shoot your flaming arrows and send them out to sea. (Hey, we just watched First Knight, okay? Don’t judge.)
Then give us a call stat.
When Faucet Replacement Becomes a Must
So, what constitutes a definitely-replace situation? Here are a few tips it’s time for that Celtic goodbye. (Okay, we’ll stop now.)
If you are experiencing leaks around the bases of both handles or the base of the faucet, we may not be able to fix that easily. It could be a minor problem of sealing, or it could mean faulty hardware that no amount of patching is going to solve. In that case, replacement becomes necessary. There’s no reason we can’t try to fix it once or twice, of course, especially if you really love your current sink setup. But if the leak repeatedly reappears, it’s time to stop the insanity and just put in a new faucet.
That’s not always as expensive as you might think. If you bought a nice faucet the first time around (or a home you bought came with it), then usually the manufacturer will replace it for free, especially if it’s still relatively new. Even if you can’t get a free replacement, we can assist you in selecting a new faucet that will come with free replacements in future. That’s always a worthwhile upgrade in any case.
If the leak is coming from inside the plumbing and we can’t patch it, it’s critical to replace the faulty elements. This may or may not include the faucet, but often does, especially if the faucet is old and may not play well with newer pipes and other structures.
Lastly, if the faucet is old, that’s a very good indication it’s time to let go. Fixtures aren’t made to last forever. Depending on the hardness of your water, the number of minerals it contains, you may need a new faucet even sooner than the aforementioned eight years. If so, don’t fret – it’s normal and you haven’t done anything wrong. However, if you find your faucets are always wearing out too quickly, there might be another problem at play. Time to call in the big dogs.
But now, let’s finally answer the question of …
The Determining Factor Between Repair and Replacement
So what’s the determining factor, you’re wondering? It’s not money, actually, even though that might be your first thought. While money certainly plays in – a cheap faucet isn’t really worth repairing, after all – a more critical factor lies at the tipping point between fix and replace.
Simply put, it’s whether or not keeping the old faucet is harming the rest of your house and your water bill. If the leak keeps springing up, that probably means the faucet is structurally damaged. In that case, it’s time to stop Little Dutch Boy-ing it and get an entirely new fixture.
Don’t wait, either. Letting a leaky faucet flow can cause significant damage. Minerals may pool in pipes, rusting and pitting them, or in the bowl of your sink, causing undesirable coloration. Constant drips may degrade grout, loosen tile, warp floorboards or laminate, and destroy caulk, letting the leak penetrate even further.
You might sometimes need to replace the faucet in tandem with other parts of the system. If the leak keeps reappearing, it may also mean the problem is deeper than the faucet, somewhere else in the plumbing system. That’s a very good argument for calling in a plumber right away. Leave the problem, and you may end up with rot, mold or structural damage to your foundation. That will cost you far, far more than a faucet or pipe replacement.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to learn more today. You’re under no obligation to work with us once we chat on the phone or provide you with a free quote. So, just call. Our friendly team will walk you through the options and give you the information you need to make a smart choice. If necessary, we will pay a quick, affordable visit to your home and lay out the best path forward.
Need Kitchen Faucet Repair in Decatur?
If you need kitchen faucet repair, Decatur is the place to go. We’ve been serving Midtown for more than 50 years now. So, it’s safe to say we know a titch about ye olde pipes in our little corner of Georgia. We know dealing with the plumbing is an annoying task. But we’re here to make it as simple as possible for you. Think it might be time to replace that faucet? Please give us a call at 678-726-1325 or get a free quote today. We’re standing by!