Water dripping has always been a commonplace housing issue. Whenever you hear the sound of drip drip, you might overlook it, as it happens in almost every house. However, water leaks can be troublesome and perilous in many ways, especially when left unnoticed. Dripping can result in mold, high water bills, water waste, electrical and structural damage and much more. These are merely some possible problems that are caused by leakage. In the long run, the issues can add up to a great extent and cause irreparable and destructive damage. So, it’s crucial that you take prompt action when encountering leakage. At times like this, the question of whether I should change a kitchen tap or repair the old one, comes to mind. In this article, we’ll assist you in recognizing whether kitchen tap replacement is required, or simply needs to be repaired. So, let’s get started:
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A. Times when you'd better repair a kitchen tap
Rather Than To Change A Kitchen Tap With The Advantages And Disadvantages
There are times when it’s more cost-effective to repair what you have instead of buying a brand-new one. As you know, the prices keep going up throughout the time, and it wouldn’t be wise to buy new things when what you have is working just fine and only needs a few last touches to be fixed completely. However, sometimes it’s hard to set boundaries between tap replacement and tap repair. So, if you’re unsure when to change a kitchen tap and when to repair it, keep reading this article because we’ll be guiding you through the signs that prove that only fixing will solve your problem.
1. Worn O-Ring
O-Ring is a small round disk located inside the kitchen tap. Its function is to prevent water from flowing out of the spout. In the process of time, this ring wears out and causes leakage in your kitchen tap. If the reason behind dripping is a worn O-Ring, you don’t have to replace a kitchen tap thoroughly. Luckily, all you have to do is change the O-Ring and then check if it works efficiently like before. If there are no drips, then the problem’s solved. Otherwise, the dripping is rooted elsewhere.
2. Leaky valve seat
Another possible cause of your kitchen tap leakage might originate from the valve seat. This tap part connects the tap and the spout altogether. Sometimes the debris piles up in the valve seat, causing erosion in the tap valve seat, and eventually leading to water dripping. On such occasions, it’s unnecessary to change a kitchen sink tap entirely. All you have to do is to remove the old valve seat with a valve seat wrench or a dresser. After that, install the new valve seat. Keep in mind that you don’t have to change anything except the valve seat.
3. Deteriorated washer
Another common cause of dripping in kitchen taps is a worn-out washer. Washers are located in the tap handle, and their job is to create a seal and prevent leakage in your tap. So, whenever you try to tighten the tap, you’re actually pressing the washer more, and causing more damage. So instead of pressing the tap, consider changing the washer which is a straightforward job. You can easily do it yourself without having to change a kitchen tap. If none of these stopped water dripping, consider changing the kitchen tap for good.
Advantages of repairing a kitchen tap
- Economical price
- The ability to save up more money
- The ability to avoid wasting resources
Disadvantages of repairing a kitchen tap
- The shorter lifespan compared to the newly purchased version
B. Times when tap replacement is a wiser decision
with the merits and demerits
There are certain moments when you get exhausted from the continual dripping, the loud noise, and the unsuccessful attempts to fix the tap but failed. However bad it sounds, you have to give in and change kitchen tap. Here are two signs making it clear that there’s no way you could go on with the same tap and you should change kitchen tap.
1. Repetitive dripping
In case of water dripping always try every possible method to get your kitchen tap fixed, such as exchanging the O-Ring, the valve seat, the washer and so one. However, if you attempted to repair all those components and still experienced constant dripping in your kitchen tap, then it’s high time to dip into your savings, purchase and change kitchen tap immediately.
2. Corroded kitchen tap
No metal is completely safe from the threat of corrosion, so does your kitchen tap, as it’s highly exposed to oxygen and water. The process of corrosion is time-consuming, starting from inner parts and growing gradually until reaching the outer parts of your kitchen tap. If only one part of your tap is worn, such as the valve seat, then it’s smooth sailing to change it with a new one. All in all, you can fix minor problems unless the corrosion has spread to your tap entirely and the only way to fix it is to change a kitchen tap. Corrosion is actually a sign that your kitchen tap is growing old, and sooner or later, you’ll have to replace it with a new one.
Advantages of repairing a kitchen tap
- Longer lifespan compared to the repaired version
- Low probability of needing to be replaced
- The chance to own a modern and up-to-date kitchen tap
Disadvantages of repairing a kitchen tap
- Costly purchase price
To sum up, tap replacement is costly, compared to tap repair, so it’s a must to ensure which procedure would be the most suitable one based on your circumstances. As we mentioned earlier, if only some parts of the tap are broken or worn, simply exchange those parts with the new ones. On the other hand, sometimes water dripping is not solved by exchanging tap parts, such as when the whole system is corroded or when it’s dripping continually, then you’d better change a kitchen mixer tap before it’s too late. It’s also worth mentioning that you don’t need to call in a professional plumber to make this decision for you because in this article, we talked about everything that you needed to know about whether to change a kitchen tap or fix it. However, if you feel like you still can’t make up your mind, the Proplumber team of experts is here to help you all along the way. So, don’t wait up and contact our experts for further help and information.
