There’s nothing worse than stepping into your shower and only being met with cold water. If you’re dealing with this problem, here are a few common reasons there’s no hot water in shower and what can be done to fix it.
Your Hot Water is Used Up
The simplest explanation for why there’s no hot water in your shower is your water heater hit its capacity. If you have a big family, multiple hot showers in a row can quickly deplete the water in the heater’s tank. It could also be you’re running many appliances with hot water. This could mean there’s no hot water left for you when it’s time to shower.
You have two options to solve this problem. One option is you can decrease the amount of hot water being used, such as washing clothes with cold water, reducing shower time, and paying attention to how long faucets run. The other option is to consider upgrading to a larger capacity water heater. Your current water heater may not be big enough to keep up with your family’s water habits. Trading it out for a bigger one will solve the cold shower problem and keep everyone happy.
The Water Temperature is Wrong
Is your water heater set at the right temperature? There’s a setting on your water heater that tells it how hot to heat the water. Most water heater manufacturers deem 120 degrees to be the right temperature to set your system at, and that’s what most tanks should be set at.
If someone was near the water heater recently, it could’ve accidentally been turned down. Go check the temperature and if it was touched, turn up the temperature and that may solve your plumbing issues. Just keep in mind not to set it too high. Turning up the heat might sound like a good way to get your hot showers back, but you could end up with a scalding shower instead of an ice-cold one.
Your Water Heater Has Sediment Buildup
Over time, naturally-occurring minerals like calcium and magnesium build up in your water heater. In Phoenix, hard water can expeditated this process. Too much sediment buildup can lead to a whole host of problems. This includes a clogged drain valve, blocked water lines, and a lack of hot water. The sediment collects on the bottom of the tank, slowly building over time. This impacts the tank’s capacity to hold hot water, meaning less for you to use when you need it.
If you hear popping or cracking noises from your water heater and there’s no hot water in shower, it may be a sign there’s significant buildup. The good news is there’s a fix! Having a professional flush your water heater can help you get back on track to hot showers.
A Broken Dip Tube
A water heater contains a line that adds cold water to the tank, called a dip tube. This tube sends cold water to the bottom of the tank, allowing warm water to rise to the top and then flow into your faucets, showers, and appliances when needed.
Over time, cracks, splits, and fractures can appear on the dip tube. This causes it to break into small pieces and get flushed out of the water heater. If the dip tube is broken or missing, it can affect the water temperature in the tank. Put simply, the cold water that is meant to be at the bottom of the tank is sent to the top. So the cold water now reaches showers and appliances before the hot water.
This issue is especially common in older water heaters, so be mindful of that. To fix this problem, a professional plumber can repair or replace the dip tube.
Problem with the Shower Mixing Valve
Your “no hot water in shower” problem might not be related to your water heater at all. If your water heater is working and you’re getting hot water from other faucets in your home, the problem is likely your mixing valve. A shower’s mixing valve allows you to adjust the mix of cold and hot water to get the perfect temperature for your shower. If this valve fails, it may allow only cold water to come through.
The fix? Replace the malfunctioning valve. It sounds simple, but the repair is best done by a professional. That’s because it often requires going through the wall or floor to access the necessary valve.
No more dealing with unwanted cold showers – City Plumbing Services is here to help!
Let’s Get You Back on Track to Hot Showers
If you’re dealing with no hot water in shower, it’s time to call in City Plumbing Services. Our team will get to the bottom of the problem, fix it, and get you back to having hot showers again. If the problem is with your water heater, we can also help you replace your old tank with a new, more efficient system. We’re located in Cave Creek but are ready to help those in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Chandler, Surprise, and most of the East Valley of Arizona.
