If you're getting hot water everywhere but your shower, it could be that your anti-scald device is set at too high a limit. Anti-scald devices (also called a “hot limit stop” or “rotational limit stop”) are safety features that most faucets have.
Your bath may not be heating well due to a clogged pipe or hard water mineral buildup, which prevents efficient heat transfer to the water. It also may simply be that your hot water heater isn't big enough to fill your tub. You can increase the heater's temperature, but watch out for scalding.
What's most likely happening is a problem with the shower's mixing valve. The mixing valve is a control valve that creates the balance in the flow of water from the hot water line and the cold water line and blends the two together for your desired shower temperature.
If your hot water runs out too fast, you may have an issue with: Too much hot water demand from multiple sources at the same time. Sediment build up inside of your water heater tank. A broken dip tube.
The first thing to do is to determine whether there is low pressure at other fixtures besides the bathtub. If there is, try the hot water heater valve; it may not be open all the way. If the cold pressure also is low, the main valve may be partially closed or -- more likely -- the pressure regulator may be set too low.
If the pipe isn't leaking from anywhere and the water still isn't coming out of your faucet, then the reason for the problem might be clogged pipes. Sediment buildup can restrict the flow of water through your pipes. Eventually, sediment buildup causes the same pressure and flow problems that leaks or dents usually do.
As we mentioned earlier, there could be various reasons why you aren't getting hot water in your kitchen sink. You could be having a blockage in the faucet, an issue with the water heater, or a faulty faucet cartridge. You should examine each part until you find the exact cause of the issue with your kitchen sink.
(If you want to skip the boiling and pouring, turn on the tub faucet on the hottest setting for a few minutes, drain, and then fill the tub with water at your preferred temperature.) You can also aim a space heater or two directly at the tub for about 15 minutes before filling it with water.
Over time, plastic dip tubes can disintegrate. One sign of a failing dip tube is little white flecks of plastic in your hot water supply, and/or your water may not feel as hot as it used to.
Your tub may be cold for several factors: poor insulation of the tub, inadequate insulation in the walls, a water heater that is too small, and a cold restroom.
Inspect the thermostat, which controls hot water heater temperature. If someone has recently changed the setting, that could be the reason behind your lukewarm water woes. However, if the temperature setting is correct, the thermostat itself might be broken. You can have the thermostat replaced fairly inexpensively.
Sediment buildup.
These can build up in your tank and, over time, take up space where hot water would normally be. If the tank hasn't been flushed in years, the sediment will be considerable, and you won't be able to get hot water for very long.
The shower mixing valve is typically located in the wall behind the showerhead. It is important to address shower mixing valve problems immediately when they arise because the device helps to regulate the water pressure and temperature, which can prevent scalding injuries.
Common problems range from disrupted gas supply, gas leaks, circuit breaker complications, to thermostat troubles, among others. The adoption of modern solutions like tankless heaters and Corro-Protec's powered anode rod can help enhance efficiency and prevent several problems leading to no hot water.
Dip Tube – $10 to $150
The dip tube carries cold water to the bottom of the tank for heating. If the dip tube is corroded, blocked, or leaking, water heating won't occur as efficiently. On average, a new dip tube costs about $10, and it can run up to $150 to have it repaired professionally.
2 reasons your dip tube goes bad
The dip tubes in most newer water heaters should last the lifespan of the unit (8–12 years).
The dip tube runs straight down through the middle of the tank and as your cold water flows into the tank, the dip tube carries it to the bottom in order to distribute it properly. Without a dip tube, the water would simply sit at the top of the tank and wouldn't be heated thoroughly.
You should start by filling the bath with a few inches of cold water and then top it up with a kettle full of boiling water to take the edge off the cold. Of course, you could keep on boiling more kettles of water (or heat up water in pans) but the idea here isn't to fill the bath as you would normally.
How Long Does It Take for Hot Water to Come Back with Certain Types of Water Heaters? Water heating times vary — it may happen instantly, or it could take 60–80 minutes. It all depends on the type of water heater you're using.
The average gas heater takes between 30 and 40 minutes to fully heat up the water in its tank. The average electric heater takes about twice as long as the average gas heater to fully heat up the water in its tank, so you can expect it to take between an hour and an hour and 20 minutes to heat up.
If you have weak or no hot water flow at hot water faucets,
Check first for closed water supply valves, then, if you have good cold water flow but no hot water flow into or out of the water heater, check for a blockage in the water supply piping.
Clogging in the bathtub faucet is a frequent problem occur every now and then. The symptoms of a blockage can be the weak flow of water, dirty water coming from the tap, and sometimes unusual sound in the faucet.
No water from the shower at all usually signals completely clogged tanks or water lines. These problems can affect not just your shower, but your other faucets too. Licensed water heater repair technicians can clean and clear away these mineral build-ups.
You can make a DIY unclogging mixture from a couple of household supplies. With items like vinegar, baking soda, and water, you can make an effective and eco-friendly mixture for unclogging your pipes and drainages. What is this? The baking soda and hot water will help loosen up any build-up in clogged pipes.
A typical shower valve replacement costs around $375. You could pay as little as $20 to replace the valve or you could spend as much as $750. Just how much your replacement valve installation costs depends on the type of valve you're replacing, the extent of work and the going rates for plumbers in your area.