How to Determine If the Problem Is With Your Shower

When you take a chilly shower, you might assume that your shower is the issue. To see if another factor is at work, you should first look in other places. First, make sure that hot water is flowing into every sink. If so, you already know the problem is with your bathroom. However, your water heating system may be at fault if numerous water sources provide you with only cold water. Common indicators of a water source issue include:

• Your water heater’s gauge is not set to a high enough temperature.
• Your water boiler is having technical difficulties.
• A broken fuse. The pilot light may have also gone out in a gas appliance.
• If using an oil heater, the burner is malfunctioning or has run out of oil.
• Your water requires time to warm up because the heated water supply has already been used up by another person in your house. In this case, try checking the water again in 30 minutes.

Why Is This Occurring?​

You can move on to the following potential scenarios now that you’ve established that the water heater is not the problem. If the shower head is the only source that doesn’t have hot water, your shower is probably having one of two problems:

• Faulty temperature controls in the shower’s mixing valve.
• The anti-scald device’s setting is too high.

Improper Installation of the Anti-Scald Valve

When attempting to identify the cause of your shower not heating up, you may not need to search very far. The bathroom itself may be having problems.

The anti-scald valve prevents the water from becoming either too hot or too cold, which is a helpful feature. Though if your house is a little older, it might not have it. It’s typically incorporated into the shower handle.

Improper Installation of the Anti-Scald Valve

First, the anti-scald valve might not have been fitted properly. The top and bottom segments of the anti-scald valve are sometimes not plainly marked. The valve might be in the incorrect location as a result of that.

If you want the proper amount of hot water to come out for you to have a hot shower, you probably need to remove the anti-scald valve from its present position and set it up properly.

It Has a Clogged Anti-Scald Valve

Clogging could also be an issue with anti-scald valves. In other words, if you use these components frequently, they are likely to become blocked.

You must use water to flush the obstruction out of your clogged anti-scald valve in order to fix it. If that doesn’t work, and it still appears to be in poor condition, the valve might need to be replaced.

You Have Incorrectly Set the Anti-Scald Valve

Improper calibration of the anti-scald valve is another potential cause of the issue. Maybe it’s set at a level that’s a little too high. To get your water at the proper temperature, you’ll need to modify it, especially when you’re having a shower temperature issue.

The spigot must now be turned to the right, and then the water must be tested. Test the heated water to see how it feels and if you like it. The opening should be adjusted repeatedly until the desired temperature is achieved. Most modern shower valve mixers can be difficult to set.

Shower Problems Involving the Mixing Valve

It might not be a broken or incorrectly adjusted anti-scald valve that is causing the cold shower water. Perhaps the real problem is the mixing valve that’s attached to your bathroom.