I hear you on the stainless lines—definitely feels safer, even if it’s a few bucks more. When I swapped mine, the shutoff valve was actually fine, but I was half-expecting it to leak or not budge. Did you end up replacing yours, or just leave it as is? I always wonder if it’s worth swapping those old valves too, or if that’s just overkill...
I get where you’re coming from—those old shutoff valves can be a bit of a gamble. I’ve had a few that looked fine on the outside but were corroded inside or just wouldn’t close all the way when I needed them to. Personally, if I’m already in there swapping out the line, I’ll usually replace the valve too, unless it’s a newer quarter-turn style and moves smoothly. The older saddle valves especially... those things are notorious for failing at the worst possible time.
It’s not always strictly necessary, but for me, the peace of mind is worth the extra $10-15 and a few more minutes of work. I’ve had tenants call about leaks that ended up being from an ancient valve giving out, and that’s a headache I’d rather avoid. Curious if you’ve ever had one fail after a line swap? Sometimes I wonder if I’m just being overly cautious, but after a couple of close calls, I tend to err on the side of replacing anything that looks even a little suspect.
I had a similar situation when I replaced my fridge’s ice maker line last year. The old valve looked fine but was super stiff, and I figured I’d just leave it since it wasn’t leaking. Big mistake—about a month later, it started dripping and I had to shut off the main to swap it out anyway. Wish I’d just done it the first time. Ten bucks and a few minutes is way better than mopping up water under your cabinets...
That’s the thing—those old valves can look okay but bite you later. I’ve seen way too many “it’s fine for now” jobs turn into weekend floods. Ten bucks is cheap insurance. Water always finds a way to make life interesting…
I thought I could get away with reusing the old saddle valve when I swapped out my ice maker a couple years back. It looked fine, no corrosion, no leaks at the time. Fast forward six months and I come home to a puddle under the fridge. Turns out the thing started weeping just enough to soak into the floor before I even noticed. Ended up costing me way more in warped laminate than if I'd just replaced the valve up front.
I get being cautious about unnecessary spending, but sometimes the cheap insurance really is worth it. Ten bucks for a new valve versus a few hundred for flooring—kind of a no-brainer in hindsight. Still, I guess it depends on how much you trust your luck... Mine’s not great when it comes to plumbing. Water always seems to win those battles.
