💸 The $19 Mistake That Ruined a $3,200 Floor

One of the dumbest things I ever did as a homeowner cost me 3 grand. And it started with a $19 supply line I ignored for way too long.

🧨 The Setup

I was under the kitchen sink grabbing some trash bags. I noticed a tiny drip coming from the cold-water supply line — the braided silver one that runs from the shutoff valve to the faucet.It wasn’t bad. Just one drop every 20 seconds.

I thought:

“Eh… I’ll deal with that this weekend.”

I didn’t. And two weeks later, I came home to warped cabinets, ruined baseboards, and laminate flooring so bubbled you could trip over it.

💀 The Damage

Replaced entire kitchen base cabinets: $1,400
260 sq ft of new flooring: $1,600
Plumber visit: $200
My ego: shatteredTotal = $3,200+

All because I didn’t fix a $19 hose.

🔧 How to Never Make This Mistake

🛠 What You’re Checking:

Every faucet, toilet, and appliance that has a braided supply line.

Places to check:

Under kitchen sink
Bathroom vanities
Behind toilets
Under laundry machines
Basement utility sinks
Water heater if applicable

👀 What You’re Looking For:

Corrosion or rust at fittings
Kinks in the hose
Dampness at the crimp collar (end of the hose)
Loose nuts or poor threading
Age — if it’s been more than 5 years, it’s time

🧼 How to Fix It (Step-by-Step):

Turn off water at the shutoff valve
Open faucet to relieve pressure
Place a towel or small bucket under hose
Use adjustable wrench to loosen both ends of the braided line
Install new line — hand-tighten first, then use wrench
Turn water back on slowly
Check for leaks at both ends for the next 10 minutes
Done. $3,000 saved.

👉 Affiliate angle: SharkBite Braided Supply Lines

💬 Pro Tip:

Replace every supply line in your house every 5–7 years — or right now if they’re original and you’re not sure. They fail more often than almost any other plumbing part in the house.

🧠 Real Talk

Don’t be the idiot that ignores a drip.

A single braided hose can flood a room overnight.

And you won’t notice till it’s too damn late.

🧰 Want more dumb mistakes to avoid?Join the vault and learn from my hell — not your wallet.

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