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The Cold Hard Facts About Short Hot Showers
There’s nothing like starting the day off with an invigorating hot shower.
That is, until it gives way to an arctic dousing just a couple minutes into your
steaming morning soak. What gives?
Well,
getting the cold shoulder from your shower can be attributed to a number
of things. The following are a few ways to keep your shower’s hot water
from turning cold prematurely.
Your
Water Heater
Begin by checking all the fixtures in your house to see if your cold-water
issue involves just your shower or the entire house. If none of the plumbing
allows
hot water to pass through, then your water heater is the problem. Check
the unit’s
temperature control to see if it’s on the right setting. If it’s
an electric model, check for a blown fuse. For gas units, it may require relighting
the pilot light. If there’s still no sign of hot water after the pilot
light has been relit, the problem could lie in a variety of things: obstructions
in the flue, a defective part, a faulty temperature control or a buildup of sediment.
Your
Shower
Your hot water problem could lie within the pipes of your bath stall. Unless
you live in a home with copper piping systems – which rarely corrode and
stay free flowing – you may have to address or even replace your galvanized
steel pipes. Or, it could just be that you need to open the hot water valve if
it’s partially or fully closed.
Your
Valves
If the hot water shortage persists, you might have to replace your bathroom
shower valve. When the rubber parts in the valve become worn and distorted
from old
age, they can swell up and restrict the waterways. As the water temperature
traveling through the valve increases, so does the swelling, which
usually leads to the
parts breaking off and obstructing the hot water valve.
Of
course, diagnosing your hot water shower problems is a lot easier than fixing
them. Before you attempt to go it alone, give us a call.
We’d be happy
to come out and help determine the best way to ensure both your money and your
hot showers go a long way.
