Not saying I’d mess with the main line or anything, but for small stuff, it’s been worth trying before calling in the pros.
That’s pretty much my approach too. Over the years, I’ve handled a lot of minor leaks and clogs myself—usually with a wrench, some Teflon tape, and a bit of patience. One time, though, I tried to replace a faucet cartridge and ended up snapping the old one off inside the valve. That was a headache... Had to call a plumber anyway, so sometimes DIY does backfire. But for most under-sink stuff, it’s definitely doable if you take your time and don’t force anything.
Funny you mention snapping off a cartridge—I’ve seen that happen more times than I can count, and it’s never fun fishing out broken bits from inside the valve body. Sometimes you get lucky with a screw extractor, but other times, it’s just not coming out without making things worse. I always tell folks: if you feel like you’re forcing something and it isn’t budging, take a step back and reassess... that’s usually where things go sideways.
Curious though—has anyone here tried those “universal” faucet cartridges? I’ve had mixed results, honestly. Sometimes they fit, sometimes they leak no matter what you do. Makes me wonder if sticking to the manufacturer’s part is always worth the hassle of tracking it down, or if there’s a trick to getting the universals to seal up right.
I actually had better luck with the universals than expected, but only after swapping out the included O-rings for higher quality ones. Sometimes, the fit isn’t perfect, but a little silicone grease goes a long way. Still, if you’re aiming for long-term reliability, tracking down the original part just seems less frustrating in the end. I get the appeal of the quick fix, though—especially when you want to avoid tossing the whole faucet.
You’re not wrong about the universals—sometimes they’re a lifesaver, other times they just don’t quite cut it. I’ve had tenants call me about leaks that turned out to be those cheap O-rings giving up after a few months. Swapping for better quality does help, but there’s always that little voice in my head wondering if I’ll be back under the sink in six months. Silicone grease is underrated, though. For me, if I can get the original part without too much hassle, it’s worth it just for peace of mind... but I get why folks go for the quick fix when time’s tight.
Yeah, those universals are such a gamble. I’ve tried a few “one size fits all” washers and they always seem to let me down right when I least expect it. I’m team original parts too, even if it means waiting a couple days for shipping. It’s just less stress knowing I won’t be mopping up another puddle at 2am. And silicone grease—totally agree, that stuff is magic for stopping little leaks before they turn into big ones. Still, every time I crawl under the sink, I half expect something else to go wrong...
