Good point on checking the valve first—I learned that the hard way a few years back. Thought I'd quickly swap out a kitchen faucet, shut off the valve under the sink, and figured I was good to go. Turns out the valve had a slow leak, and by the time I noticed, I had a mini lake forming on my floor. Ever since then, I've been paranoid enough to just shut off the main anyway...maybe overkill, but better safe than soggy. Has anyone else dealt with those sneaky slow leaks?
Had a similar scare myself last winter. Thought I'd tightened everything down after swapping out a bathroom sink fixture, but sure enough, woke up to a wet cabinet bottom and some warped particle board. Now I always:
- Double-check valves for slow drips (paper towel trick works wonders).
- Keep a small bucket or pan under the valve area overnight after repairs.
- Shut off main if I'm even slightly unsure.
Maybe cautious, but beats dealing with water damage again...
Had a similar close call myself a few years back—thought I'd done everything right, but woke up to a puddle under the vanity. Ever tried the flashlight trick? Shine a bright light around fittings and valves after repairs; sometimes tiny drips are easier to spot that way. Also, do you usually replace the supply lines when swapping fixtures? I always recommend it...cheap insurance against leaks down the road. Better safe than sorry, right?
Good tip on the flashlight trick—never thought of that one. Usually, I just run my fingers around the fittings to check for moisture, but your way sounds less messy, haha. As for supply lines, depends on their condition. If they're braided stainless and look solid, I'll reuse them once or twice. But yeah, if they're plastic or old-school rubber...straight to the trash they go. Learned that lesson after a midnight mop-up session myself.
"Learned that lesson after a midnight mop-up session myself."
Haha, been there myself more times than I'd like to admit. Good call on ditching the old rubber lines—those things are just ticking time bombs. Braided stainless usually holds up fine, but I always eyeball the fittings real close before reusing. And yeah, flashlight beats soggy fingers any day...especially when you're crawling around under a vanity at 2 AM. Solid tips all around.
