- Been there with the sneaky valve... no matter how careful you are, plumbing always seems to have a surprise waiting. Those hidden pockets of water can really ruin your day, or at least your shoes.
- Regarding recycling fixtures and pipes, you're onto something. Scrapyards can be pretty inconsistent. I've found it depends heavily on the type of metal and the condition it's in. Copper and brass usually get accepted without much fuss, even if they're old or slightly corroded. Galvanized pipes or fixtures with mixed materials (like plastic handles or rubber seals) seem to cause confusion and inconsistency.
- A tip from experience: if you have time, separating out the different materials can help you get a more predictable response at the scrapyard. Removing plastic fittings or rubber gaskets beforehand makes it clearer for them to assess the metal. But yeah, even then, sometimes it feels like luck of the draw depending on who's behind the counter that day.
- Don't feel too discouraged about the cabinet stains either—most of us who've done plumbing work have a few battle scars around the house. Consider it a badge of honor for tackling the job yourself.
Totally agree about separating materials beforehand—it saved me some hassle last time. One thing I'd add is to check your scrapyard's website or call ahead, because some places list exactly what they'll take and how clean it needs to be. Learned that the hard way after hauling a bunch of galvanized pipes they wouldn't touch. And yeah, cabinet stains...I just call it "character" now, haha.
Good point about checking ahead—I once lugged an old cast iron sink all the way there, only to find out they wouldn't take it because of some coating issue. Now I always double-check first... saves time and my back. Also, cabinet stains are fine, but watch out for mold—better safe than sorry.
Checking ahead is definitely smart, but honestly, if there's mold on cabinets, I'd just toss them altogether. Mold spores can linger even after cleaning, and it's not worth the health risk—especially if you've got kids or pets around. Better safe than sorry, right?
Recycling old pipes and fixtures is usually doable, especially if they're metal like copper or brass—scrap yards will even pay you a bit for them. But moldy cabinets? Yeah, that's another story. I've seen folks try to salvage mold-infested stuff, and it rarely ends well. Mold spores are stubborn little things, and once they settle in porous materials like wood, it's tough to get rid of them completely. Better off tossing those cabinets and investing in replacements... your lungs will thank you later.