When it comes to the maintenance of engineering systems of a house, such as plumbing systems, the question of whether to repair their existing parts or elements or totally replace them inevitably stands forward. It is not necessary to explain to you how important the part that the plumbing system plays in everyone’s house is. Definitely, everything connected with the water pipelines of housing must be kept in order and be regularly maintained that can guarantee its excellent operation without any breakdowns and unpleasant unexpected failures.
Of course, with regard to the money-saving, it would be sound to prefer a repair of your plumbing system or any of its elements rather than their whole or partial replacement. It is obvious that repair work will cost much less money and will not take much time and effort as compared to the replacement. And yet, very often, we face the problem that we constantly repair one and the same thing and constantly spend money on it.
As a result of two or three repairing activities, we inevitably come to a conclusion that it would have been sound to replace this or that detail at once and forget about it for years ahead. Moreover, the replacement would have cost much less money than those numerous repairs that we have already carried out. In the end, after numerous useless repairs, in any case, we have to replace our plumbing system (or any of its elements), having spent money both for some preliminary and useless repairs and for their final replacement.
How to determine whether our plumbing system requires repair or whether it is better to replace it at once, having avoided time and effort wasted? How to predict that the repair will turn out to be not enough to solve the problem, and as a result, a subsequent replacement will be urgently needed in any case?
The answer to this vital question is given in this article that will consider the cases when you can save money through repairing your plumbing system as well as when only the replacement can be the only way out.
When trying to answer the question of what to prefer in your special case, whether repair or replacement, you should evaluate, first of all, what condition the plumbing system of your living area has. Are the elements of it outdated, having been used within a couple of dozens of years, or perhaps they are comparatively new and have not been deteriorated yet?
In the first case, you should think twice before starting repairing works. If the pipes and all their elements and fixtures are too old and deteriorated enough it does not make sense to repair them, as they can be broken again very fast at an unexpected moment and cause serious inconveniences for you and your family members.
Moreover, the pipes installed in 80-s or the beginning of the 90-s can contain dangerous lead components which can go into the water and, mildly speaking, are not good for your health. These dangerous chemicals will poison the water you use for washing or drinking. In most cases, even the water filters can not prevent you from them.
The same situation is also with other elements of your plumbing system such as fixtures, showerhead, faucet, water heater, etc. If they are deteriorated and do not look as good as they used to it is worth thinking of their replacement. Actually, fixtures should be replaced after some ten years of operation in case of their accurate and careful use.
The same story is with water heaters that are usually used from ten up to 12 years, whereas tankless water heaters’ operation period can be increased even up to 20 years depending on the conditions of their usage and of course, their initial quality.
Of course, it is not necessary to replace something at once since the first leakage or any other slight breakdown occurs. If the plumbing equipment is not still deteriorated and is quite new in most cases, its repair is enough to be carried out to guarantee its operation within another several years.
In the case that one and the same failure regularly occurs (more than one time within a year), it must get you thinking about the replacement of that part of your plumbing equipment subjected to the constant breakdowns. Otherwise, you will have to spend your money on some regular repair activities and subsequent replacements as a result. Nobody wants to pay twice or more for one and the same thing.
It should also be noted that very often, some insignificant (at first sight) constant leakages or failures of some small elements of the water pipeline can represent so-called signals demonstrating that something is not good with your entire plumbing system and it can require serious repair or replacement.
Experienced plumbers very often witnessed the situation when homeowners were reluctant to replace small parts or essential details of the plumbing systems in their homes trying to save money which resulted in the serious consequent breakdowns causing significant replacements of the water pipelines and equipment which cost a pretty penny.
Are you sure that you need such an economy?
As we have already mentioned, in the case you face one and the same problem concerning your plumbing system more than one time during a comparatively short period you should analyze and count what amount of money you will finally spend to have this problem solved.
It is not easy to figure out at once what money you will spend in the case you will prefer the repair activities and if you will decide to replace some element. Every case is individual and requires precise analysis.
Having faced the problem of any failure occurring concerning your water pipeline you should ask yourself the following questions:
Having answered these questions you will realize whether you are really saving your money when carrying out the repair work or vice versa, you pay extra money by selecting this variant trying to get rid of the problem.
In any case, it is always worth calling for an experienced craftsman specializing in plumbing systems repairs or replacement work who will be able to tell for sure what way to prefer in your specific case.
It is obvious that dealing with the issues concerning your home plumbing system is a big deal. Not being an expert in water pipes and other related equipment it is impossible in most cases to predict how a small and insignificant (at first sight) leakage or failure can influence the subsequent functioning of the entire complicated system.
Nevertheless, you can always call for any of the experienced plumbers who will help you to get rid of the problem that occurred and will always offer you the best solution having prevented you from additional costs and thereby significantly saving your budget.
Mike Joshua, a 33-year-old plumber based in California. With a passion for solving complex problems and a commitment to his trade, Mike has dedicated the past 8 years of his life to honing his skills as a professional plumber. After completing technical college Mike quickly secured a job in a plumbing company and has been working steadily ever since. Mike's experience includes not only households but industrial gas and plumbing systems and installation, repair the equipment for different types of business He is known for his attention to detail, strong work ethic, and ability to complete projects on time and within budget. He is always striving to improve his skills and stay up-to-date with the latest industry developments and advancements. In conclusion, Mike enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and camping. He also has a passion for DIY projects around the home and is always looking for new challenges to tackle.