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Author:
newoldhouseblues (CA)
Hi,
I spent the entire weekend trying to fix my shower which has no cold water. Here is the run down of what I have tried.
1. First, I tried the scald adjustor on the Delta Cartridge. No dice.
2. Then I took out the cartridge, thinking the little screws were too compressed. Nope.
3. With the cartridge out, I turned the water on. Cold water flowed out the cold pipe but not at high pressure. When I turned up water, it did seem to be mixing cold and hot well enough since the water was then luke-warm.
4. I bought a new cartridge and put it in. Again no cold water.
5. I took out the cartridge and turned the water on again - NO COLD WATER coming out of the pipe!
So - it seems that I have intermittent cold water coming out of the pipe. Or maybe a complete blockage at this point which is wierd since I had water coming out just an hour or so previously. The house it 60 years old, and it seems that at least some repiping has happened (pipes running between old and new roof), but we have a lot of rust coming out - especially happened in the first day, and have low water pressure in a few of the faucets (though this may be because of blockages at the faucet rather than pipes - most are probably galvanized).
We just moved in a week ago, but really need to figure these things out. I am not plumber literate, but can follow directions and want to do things myself whenever I can. I really hope to not have to call plumber!
Any help greatly appreciated!
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
If you disassemble the shower valve again, and shut off the cold water inlet on the water heater, then turn on the main again, do you get full pressure with the cold?
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Author:
newoldhouseblues (CA)
OK. The saga continues. I came home and took the cartridge off then turned water on again. The water blasts out full on and is Luke warm to cold. It only comes out of one of the pipe holes though.
I put the cartridge on again and either nothing comes out or scalding water.
I logged on here and saw reply you left so I tried it. Nothing happened when I had the cold water valve turned off. No water came out at all...I hope I had the water off correctly. There is only 1 valve so I assumed it was the cold.
At any rate. I assume this is bad news that no cold comes out when I turned valve off. But why would it come out cool without the cartridge then turn scalding with cartridge in?
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
When you flushed it before, it was probably pushing the cool water just sitting in the hot lines out while the hot water advanced, it probably wasn't on long enough to push out straight hot. You may have a valve shut off somewhere that is supplying the cold water to the shower.. maybe someone tapped into a line with an outside hose faucet and put a shut off valve in somewhere.
I would say it is probably more likely that the cold water line is rusted shut, but check for a valve first. The only real solution in that case is to repipe (at minimum) the affected portion, but you would be ahead to remove all the galvanized if you are having problems like that. Problems in one pipe are probably similar throughout, but whomever lived there before either didn't want to spend the money, or make the necessary repairs afterward. If you plan on doing some facelifts in your new old house, I suggest getting the plumbing updated, and check/replace any suspect wiring at the same time that the walls are open. Nothing is more painful than getting the house done and having to bust the walls out the next week.
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Author:
newoldhouseblues (CA)
Thanks. I will look for the valve. We were thinking we might need to repipe because rust comes out all taps especially if they have been sitting for a day...even though it looks like some must have happened at some point since there are pipes above old roof. Good thing is we got a good deal on house so even this expense will be worth it!
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Author:
srloren (CA)
You have received good advice to repipe. Get it fixed so you can enjoy your new/old home. You don't need the worry about when the plumbing will finally break and probably at some odd hour. Good luck.
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