Yeah, I hear you—sometimes “fixing” an old stem just opens a bigger can of worms. I’ve had a slow drip that was solved with nothing more than a new washer and some patience. Ripping out old plumbing can waste materials and energy too, especially if the leak’s minor. I’d rather keep things simple and avoid unnecessary replacements unless it’s really needed. Those old pipes can be stubborn... and expensive to mess with if things go sideways.
I get wanting to keep things simple, but I’m always a little nervous about just patching up old plumbing. My place had a “minor” leak that turned into a bigger mess behind the wall because the stem was corroded way more than I thought. Ended up with water damage and a bigger bill. Sometimes replacing the whole stem is just safer in the long run, even if it’s more work upfront. Those old pipes can hide some nasty surprises...
