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Author:
clethrionomys (NM)
We have moved into a townhouse that was empty for at least two years, and not much used since built 12 years ago. There are two bathrooms with showers. In the second (guest) bathroom, which is closer to the water heater, the shower works perfectly, with hot water, and plenty of it. In the main bathroom, the shower gives cold or lukewarm water continuously, unless the shower is turned on, with hot water running, in the second bathroom. Then the water becomes hot. If the shower in the second bathroom is turned off, the main bathroom shower cools down again. What's going on???
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Author:
North Carolina Plumber (NC)
Tankless heater ? If so then there's not enough water flow thru t.he faucet to properly fire the heater.
Tank heater ? If so then a possible cross connection between the hot + cold water pipes.
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Author:
stuckinlodi (MO)
Does the hot water faucet in the sink work ok in that bathroom with the shower problem?
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Author:
m & m (MD)
Possibly a temperature limiter or balance spool or a combination of both?
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
I'm with NC Plumber, and wagering it's a tankless. That is about the time-frame that tankless manufacturers started being more conscious about, and reducing required flow. Just a guess.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
someone would have to be there to test it, but those are the symptoms of a bad check valve in a hot water circulation system.
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Author:
clethrionomys (NM)
Not tankless; just a regular tank.
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Author:
clethrionomys (NM)
I don't believe there is a recirculation system on the hot water.
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Author:
clethrionomys (NM)
The sink does not get hot either. Running the sink for hot water does allow the shower to get hot water!
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Author:
clethrionomys (NM)
Balance spool? Is that part of the cartridge?
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Author:
stuckinlodi (MO)
This does seem to possibly be related to a flow amount problem since you can get the shower to work by also having a second hot water tap flowing. If you don't have a check-valve on the hot water pipe then maybe you have a heat-trap nipple on the water heater that is bad. It is a short piece of threaded pipe screwed into the top of the water heater on the hot side. They have a metal ball inside or a rubber flap, sometimes they cause a problem. You can remove it and replace with a new one or with a regular piece of pipe. Might be worth a try, but I don't know why one shower would work and the other shower doesn't if this is the problem, unless the distance from the water heater is compounding the problem.
When you turn on the sink faucet to get the shower to work you are affecting 2 things - the flow of hot water from the water heater increases, and the water pressure in the water pipe drops some. That drop in water pressure might be helping your shower control to work properly. So replacing the inside part of the shower control (cartridge or balance spool) might be what is needed.
Edited 5 times.
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Author:
clethrionomys (NM)
Thank you all for your replies, which have made me think about the problem from various viewpoints. I believe I will replace the cartridge in the shower handle first, and see if that does the trick. Stuckinlodi's idea that the reduced pressure when other hot water is flowing may make it work seems the most likely to me at this point. I will post again to let you know if that's it, around the end of May. Thanks again!
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
PercyOrtiz (IA)
For more detailed information you can call professionals.
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