We love a good repair. In fact, we’ll always try to save what can be saved. But here’s something we say more often than people expect:
“Honestly? It’s not worth fixing. Let’s just replace it.”

At Golden Valley Plumbing, we’ve worked on thousands of faucets in Sacramento homes. Some are simple to repair — a worn washer, a cracked cartridge, a loose handle. But sometimes, the faucet is trying to tell you it’s done.

The trick is knowing the difference.

It’s not just about the leak

Sure, a steady drip is annoying. But what matters more is why it’s dripping. We’ve seen faucets with internal corrosion, warped bodies, cracked valve seats — and customers who’ve already tried two or three DIY repairs before calling us.

By the time we take it apart, clean the scale, replace the internals, and put it all back together, the labor costs are often the same — or more — than simply installing a new fixture.

Replacement is often faster and cleaner

Let’s be honest: old faucets weren’t built for today’s water. Sacramento’s water has minerals that wear down rubber seals and gum up small parts over time. Newer faucets are designed to resist buildup, last longer, and (in many cases) just plain work better.

In older homes, we also run into stripped threads, corroded mounting nuts, and fragile shutoff valves that make the whole repair process a mess.

Sometimes the fastest, cleanest solution is walking in with a new unit, popping out the old one, and walking out with everything working and dry.
That’s why, in many Sacramento homes, we recommend simply replacing the fixture altogether — especially when the original hardware just can’t keep up.

But what if you really like your faucet?

We get it. Some fixtures are vintage, custom, or just match your space perfectly. When that’s the case, we’ll do everything we can to rebuild and restore it. But we’ll also be honest if it’s no longer supported or if replacement parts haven’t been made in 15 years.

And we’ll give you options — including replacements that look just as classic, but function like new.

What we tell our Sacramento clients

If we can fix it for less than a replacement, and it’ll last — we’ll do it. But if we’re patching together an old fixture that’ll drip again in a month? We’ll tell you. No pressure, just the facts.

Bottom line:
Not every faucet needs to be saved. And in Sacramento, where water and time take their toll, replacement is often the smart move. At Golden Valley Plumbing, we’ll help you figure out the right call — and make it happen without the drip.