Older faucets usually need to be replaced. “If you are fixing an extremely old faucet that has old-style washers, it might not be cost-effective to repair it,” said Botto. “Any faucet that is over 15 or 20 years old is most likely extinct. Finding and obtaining these small parts will be challenging.” Cracked faucets or faucets that have multiple problems will also need to be replaced.