How To Stop Your Shower From Running Cold This Winter

There’s nothing as annoying as getting a splash of cold water on your back when you expect a warm soothing jet of water. It gets more depressing when the shower frustrates you on a cold winter morning.  Get a professional plumber to fix your shower if it keeps giving you cold and warm water jets. The following are common reasons why your shower may run cold water:

• A broken showerhead mixer valve 

The function of the mixer valve is to deliver warm water according to the set parameters on the showerhead. It mixes hot and cold water, but it fails to add enough hot water to the cold if it’s faulty. And if it does, it does not maintain the temperature for the required shower time. Call a professional plumber to replace the broken showerhead valve and restore function. If you try to fix it yourself, you can often cause more damage, which can lead to more expensive plumber bills.

• The tank’s water has depleted

You can have an instant water heater or a reservoir in the ceiling that feeds the shower for the bathroom. The supply is limited to a particular capacity if you have a reservoir that feeds the water to the shower in your bathroom. And if you have teens or visitors in the house or additional people using the bathroom, the water in the tank can get depleted faster than on other days. The water can also finish when you simultaneously use the dishwasher or a washing machine.

• The water heater temperature is incorrectly set

This is another potential reason your shower could have cold water even when your water consumption habit has not changed. The shower head regulates the water heater and determines how hot the water should be. The default setting is normally around 48-50 degrees celsius but can be altered to give varying water temperatures. You can call a plumber to check if the default setting has been tampered with or if there’s a problem with the shower head. They can also adjust the default temperature for you if you prefer your showers a bit hotter.

How to keep the shower running hot

You can manage the shower temperature by using these tips:

1. Plan your hot water use to run alternately. For instance, the washing machine, dishwater and bathing can be done at different times of the day to ensure there’s sufficient supply for all the activities.
2. Installing scald-guard valves on the faucet prevents the default temperature setting from snapping. You can call a plumber to fix it for you to protect your children and older family members. 
3. Replace the toilets in the house with water-efficient models because they stabilize shower temperature when flushed. Older, less efficient models can deplete water more quickly, making the shower go cold.
4. Hire a plumber to fix a faulty mixing valve which will stabilize showerhead temperatures.
5. Invest in a low-flow showerhead to conserve water volumes, especially during long showers.

Takeaway

If your shower is running cold this winter, you should reach out to your local plumber (Plan B) to have a look at it. You can try to fix some of the issues yourself, but you may end up causing more damage. You also may not have the time or the patience of a technician to fix the problem in your shower. Therefore, contact your friendly local professional plumbers from Plan B Plumbing who can help troubleshoot and repair (and if necessary, upgrade & install) your shower or hot water system to help you restore function to your shower.