Repair vs. Replace: The Pros and Cons

No question about it, preventative home maintenance can go a long way to reduce costs and extend the lifespan of a number of components and appliances in your Evansville, IN home. That said, there comes a time where it is actually more cost-effective to do a plumbing repipe rather than repairing a small issue.

The pros of repair are that you might put off replacement costs until later. The cons of repair are that you could potentially be sinking money into something that isn’t really fixable in the long term. Here is what you need to know.

Sink Replacement

If your sink is rusty or discolored, then you’ll want to replace it for aesthetic reasons. If you’ve got a leaky faucet, you can probably repair it.

However, if you’ve tried that more than once and it is still leaking, you probably should just get a new sink.

The real indicator of needing a new sink is when you open up the cabinetry. A little moisture on the pipes or pooling water indicates a leak, but can probably be fixed. If the pipes are corroded or have significant mineral buildup, it is advisable to replace them sooner rather than later. Corroded pipes are major water damage just waiting to happen.

Do I Need a New Washer?

Washing machines have multiple components, and if one of these breaks down, there is a good chance that you can simply repair it and get your washing machine working again.

However, if your appliance is more than eight years old, repairing it might be futile.

Some sure signs that you need a new washer are if it shakes when you use it, major water leaks, funky odors that won’t go away or awful noises.

Replace the Shower?

A small drip is something even a novice handyman can fix with a wrench, but there are other more troubling signs that suggest that you need a new shower.

The presence of black mold, the inability to sustain proper water pressure and lots of sediment mean that you should just get yourself a new one.

A New Water Heater

How old is your water heater? Tankless water heaters last about 20 years; storage tank models are good for about 10-15 years. If your unit is close to these ages, it likely makes more sense just to get a new one.

You can make small repairs, say if the problem is a small leak (it could be a valve). A foul odor could just signal that you need to replace the anode rod, which is easy. When you are replacing your plumbing fixtures, consider upgrading to eco-friendly ones that will save you money on your water bill.