Chud wrote:

Thinking about it later I guess a plumber would have started where I finished and saved a lot of time.

A plumber would have just replaced it. Partly as (IME) they don't
understand the inside of things but because it's simpler and more
profitful. Prosaically, as someone who mends many things, there's also
always a danger that a fix won't stay fixed.

--
Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?