Ever taken apart a cartridge faucet? Those things can be tricky... springs, washers, tiny parts everywhere. Learned the hard way to always lay out parts in order as I remove them—makes reassembly way less stressful. And yeah, shutting off water is a must. Ever double-check the shut-off valve after turning it off? Had one leak slowly on me once, didn't notice till the bucket overflowed. Plumbing keeps you cautious, that's for sure.
Yeah, cartridge faucets can be finicky. Learned early on that snapping a quick pic with my phone before pulling things apart saves a ton of headaches later. And you're right about the shut-off valves—had one slowly drip on me too, but luckily caught it early when I saw the towel underneath getting damp. Now I always give them an extra quarter-turn and keep an eye out for any sneaky leaks... plumbing definitely teaches patience and caution, haha.
Totally relate to the towel-under-the-valve trick... saved me more than once. I recently swapped out our old cartridge faucet for a ceramic disc one—heard they're supposed to last longer and leak less. Installation was pretty straightforward, but I still took pics at every step (learned that lesson the hard way, haha). So far, no drips or surprises, and bonus points for less wasted water. Plumbing projects definitely make you appreciate the little victories... and dry cabinets.
Ceramic disc faucets are decent, but I'm not totally sold on them yet. Installed one in our kitchen about two years ago, and while it hasn't leaked (yet), the handle started feeling stiff after just a year or so. Had to take it apart and clean the discs—wasn't exactly difficult, but still annoying considering they're marketed as "maintenance-free."
Honestly, I think cartridge faucets get a bad rap sometimes. Sure, they can leak eventually, but replacing a cartridge is usually quick and cheap. Plus, ceramic discs aren't immune to issues either—hard water buildup can mess with them pretty quickly if your water's mineral-heavy.
I guess my point is that no faucet type is perfect. Ceramic discs might last longer under ideal conditions, but real-world use isn't always ideal... especially if your water quality isn't great. Glad yours is working out so far though—dry cabinets are definitely worth celebrating.
Yeah, ceramic discs aren't exactly magic bullets. I've had a few installed in rental units, and while they're decent, hard water buildup can really gum them up. Honestly, cartridge faucets might leak eventually, but swapping out a cartridge is usually less hassle overall... just my two cents.
