Lack of hot water in a shower is an unpleasant experience. However, you may feel even more frustrated to find your shower’s not getting hot water but your sink does.
A cold shower is not only unenjoyable, but it can also leave you feeling unhygienic. A shower is a special place where we spend time removing all the dirt and grime from the day. It’s also a place for comfort and relaxation.
For these reasons, water temperature can dramatically impact your health, well-being, and overall comfort. A cold or lukewarm shower can prompt you to rapidly take a shower without much thought or care. However, you may notice a decline in your quality of life due to this lack of hot water.
If you have hot water loss throughout your house, the most likely culprit is your water heater. Conversely, you may have no issues receiving hot water for washing dishes or doing laundry. In that situation, you most likely have one of these problems:
- Your shower mixing valve is damaged
- Your anti-scald unit has been set too high
To resolve a shower not receiving hot water, contact Mustang’s trustworthy plumbers. We have highly qualified professional plumbers to rectify the problem. We can inspect your shower and implement rapid, cost-effective repairs.
How to Check If Your Shower Is the Issue
You may immediately think your shower is the problem when experiencing a cold shower. However, you’ll want to check other areas first to determine if another cause is at play.
Common reasons indicating a water supply problem include:
- The thermometer on your water heater isn’t set high enough (a common issue when you have lukewarm water).
- Technical issues with your water heater.
- A blown fuse. Or, in the case of a gas unit, the pilot light has gone out.
- If using an oil burner, the burner has run out of oil or broken down.
- Another household member has already used up all the hot water, so your water needs time to heat up. In this scenario, try testing the water in another 30 minutes.
You’ll know if your shower is the issue after eliminating these potential causes.
Shower Problem One: Your Anti-Scald Unit Is Set Too High
Perhaps you’re receiving hot water at every water source except your shower. In that case, you may have set your anti-scald unit too high in your shower.
Anti-scald units are also known as “rotational limit stops” or “hot limit stops.” Most modern faucets have an anti-scald unit for safety.
These units limit how far you can rotate your shower’s handle to activate hot water. As a result, they can protect you from getting splashed by scalding hot water.
So, when your shower’s not getting hot water but your sink does, this situation may point to a faulty anti-scald unit. Perhaps your unit is improperly adjusted or even in disrepair.
A professional Mustang plumber can check if your anti-scald unit is the culprit. Your plumber will take the following steps:
- Removing the handle or head from your shower faucet: Your plumber will start by taking either the head or handle from your faucet. Your plumber may need to use an Allen wrench or screwdriver to remove the unit depending on its make and model.
- Locating your anti-scald unit: If your faucet has an anti-scald unit, that unit typically consists of plastic material. The plumber will locate your unit right under the faucet’s head.
- Turning your anti-scald unit: After pulling out the unit and freeing it from its current level, your plumber will rotate it to the right to set it back into place.
- Testing the water’s temperature: Now it’s time for your plumber to test the temperature of the water. If the water becomes hotter during testing, then your anti-scald unit was the issue.
- Continuing to make adjustments: Your plumber will keep making right turns on your anti-scald unit and check the water temperature at every turn. As a result, your plumber will help you decide how hot you want your water to be. Once you’ve chosen your setting, your plumber will swap out the faucet head.
Remember, not all faucets have an anti-scald unit. If you don’t see the plastic unit from step two, you can eliminate the anti-scald unit as causing the lack of hot water.
Shower Problem Two: A Defective Mixing Valve
If your shower doesn’t have an anti-scald unit, you most likely have a faulty mixing valve. Your shower’s mixing valve controls your water’s temperature by creating a balance between hot and cold water.
However, the following problems can impact your shower’s valves, preventing hot water:
- You have broken vales
- You have worn-out valves
- You have deteriorating plastic parts of the valves that are causing obstructions
- You have improperly positioned valves
If you have an anti-scalding unit, you can make the necessary adjustments yourself if you have DIY experience. However, if your mixing valve is the issue, it’s best to leave that repair job to the professionals.
Your Mustang plumber will locate your mixing valve behind your shower’s wall along its pipes. Sometimes, the solution is as simple as flushing out your mixer’s valve to remove stray plastic parts. Other times, your professional plumber will repair or replace your mixing valve.
Regardless of the problem, accessing the mixing valve usually requires disassembling many of your shower’s fixtures. This process can be time-consuming when not performed by a plumber. Additionally, without the right tools and qualifications, attempting to unclog a shower drain with standing water yourself may cause you to damage sensitive parts.
How an Expert Plumbing Team Can Help
Taking a cold or lukewarm shower can be a frustrating experience. Having a professional team on your side can make all the difference in restoring your hot water.
Besides a faulty anti-scald unit or mixing valve, your plumber can help identify other causes of cold water including:
- Flue blockages
- Defective parts
- Sediment backup
- Issues with cross-connected pipes
A professional plumbing team can efficiently diagnose the issue and recommend repair options. Whether your water heater or shower is the root of the problem, the right plumbing team brings the following qualifications to the table:
- Years of trusted experience
- Fully licensed and certified
- Friendly and highly customized service
- Flat rate pricing, meaning you won’t receive any hidden costs
- A guaranteed bill of satisfaction
- Quality service that gets the job done right the first time
Contact Champion Plumbing Today
Taking a shower without any hot water is never a fun experience. Whether there’s something wrong with your shower or water heating system, an expert plumbing team like Champion Plumbing can help. We have the tools and industry knowledge to get the job done in Mustang, OK.
During your consultation with us, we will look at both your shower and water system to diagnose the hot water issue. After verifying why your shower is not getting hot water but your sink does, we’ll discuss repair options with you. Before we leave your property, we’ll discover and implement what works best for you and your budget.
Call Champion Plumbing today at (405) 889-1318 Click to Call to repair or replace your hot water heater!
