From time to time, when I get up to shower in the morning the water
doesn't get as hot as it should. I can turn it all the way to hot but
it's still not as hot as I'd like it. On most days, I'd get scalded
shortly after turning it all the way to hot. I used to think this was
because of our water heater, but I just replaced that a couple of days
ago because it sprung a leak. Is the next likely culprit the mixing
valve in the shower? Could it be corroded or gunked up or something? I
know nothing about them but I can't think of anything else that could
cause this problem.

Thanks,
John

wrote:
From time to time, when I get up to shower in the morning the water
doesn't get as hot as it should. I can turn it all the way to hot but
it's still not as hot as I'd like it. On most days, I'd get scalded
shortly after turning it all the way to hot. I used to think this was
because of our water heater, but I just replaced that a couple of days
ago because it sprung a leak. Is the next likely culprit the mixing
valve in the shower? Could it be corroded or gunked up or something? I
know nothing about them but I can't think of anything else that could
cause this problem.

Any idea what model valve you have? I have an old Delta that you take
the knob off and there is a 'limiting wheel' that you can reposition to
get more hot water. Some have a screw under the knob to adjust the
'max hot'.

In article .com, " wrote:
From time to time, when I get up to shower in the morning the water
doesn't get as hot as it should. I can turn it all the way to hot but
it's still not as hot as I'd like it. On most days, I'd get scalded
shortly after turning it all the way to hot. I used to think this was
because of our water heater, but I just replaced that a couple of days
ago because it sprung a leak. Is the next likely culprit the mixing
valve in the shower? Could it be corroded or gunked up or something?

Rather likely. Do you have normal hot water at the closest regular
faucet (e.g. nearby sink)? If so, it's almost certain the shower
mixer.

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you don't have a thermostat valve, but only a manual hot and cold
taps it would be probably difference in water pressures.

Try turning on the hot only and gradually feeding in the cold.


wrote:
From time to time, when I get up to shower in the morning the water
doesn't get as hot as it should. I can turn it all the way to hot but
it's still not as hot as I'd like it. On most days, I'd get scalded
shortly after turning it all the way to hot. I used to think this was
because of our water heater, but I just replaced that a couple of days
ago because it sprung a leak. Is the next likely culprit the mixing
valve in the shower? Could it be corroded or gunked up or something? I
know nothing about them but I can't think of anything else that could
cause this problem.

Thanks,
John

wrote:
If you don't have a thermostat valve, but only a manual hot and cold
taps it would be probably difference in water pressures.

Try turning on the hot only and gradually feeding in the cold.

This is the sort of valve that starts out cold and gets hotter as you
turn it counter-clockwise. There's only one knob, unfortunately. I'll
have to look and see what model it is. I can probably find a
replacement at Home Depot or Lowe's, if that's the problem.

I've never taken one of these apart before. Is this a pretty easy job
or can it be tricky?

In article .com,
says...
From time to time, when I get up to shower in the morning the water
doesn't get as hot as it should. I can turn it all the way to hot but
it's still not as hot as I'd like it. On most days, I'd get scalded
shortly after turning it all the way to hot. I used to think this was
because of our water heater, but I just replaced that a couple of days
ago because it sprung a leak. Is the next likely culprit the mixing
valve in the shower? Could it be corroded or gunked up or something? I
know nothing about them but I can't think of anything else that could
cause this problem.

Moen single knob mixing valves tend to fail this way. AIUI, the
cartridge develops a leak from the cold side to the hot. I'm told
a bad Moen valve anywhere in the house can do this to the entire
system. I have one that needs replacement, but other more pressing
things first.

They have a lifetime warranty so if it's a Moen you might try
calling them.

--
Keith

Just take it to Home Depot for a free replacement.

krw wrote:
In article .com,
says...

From time to time, when I get up to shower in the morning the water
doesn't get as hot as it should. I can turn it all the way to hot but
it's still not as hot as I'd like it. On most days, I'd get scalded
shortly after turning it all the way to hot. I used to think this was
because of our water heater, but I just replaced that a couple of days
ago because it sprung a leak. Is the next likely culprit the mixing
valve in the shower? Could it be corroded or gunked up or something? I
know nothing about them but I can't think of anything else that could
cause this problem.


Moen single knob mixing valves tend to fail this way. AIUI, the
cartridge develops a leak from the cold side to the hot. I'm told
a bad Moen valve anywhere in the house can do this to the entire
system. I have one that needs replacement, but other more pressing
things first.

They have a lifetime warranty so if it's a Moen you might try
calling them.

Moen single knob mixing valves tend to fail this way. AIUI, the
cartridge develops a leak from the cold side to the hot. I'm told
a bad Moen valve anywhere in the house can do this to the entire
system. I have one that needs replacement, but other more pressing
things first.

They have a lifetime warranty so if it's a Moen you might try
calling them.

I have no idea what brand it is. There are no markings on the outside
that provide any clues. I'm sure it was the cheapest valve available
when the contractor built this house six years ago.

What's weird is that it's very intermittent. I can have very hot water
for many days and then have one or two days where it doesn't get much
past warm. Very strange.

Well it sounds like you have a thermostat valve, most of the time when
they need replacing is generally when they leak and cause constant
dripping, is yours wall mounted or the bedded type that is on your
bath, they tend to have a filter where they connect to the water under
the bath but I would recommend a plumber to deal with that, if it is
the valve itself that is gone generally they drip and quite expensive
to replace, you have got to know the name of the mixer to obtain the
new valve there is loads of different makes, some of them are easy to
replace but some of them are a mission.

wrote:
wrote:
If you don't have a thermostat valve, but only a manual hot and cold
taps it would be probably difference in water pressures.

Try turning on the hot only and gradually feeding in the cold.

This is the sort of valve that starts out cold and gets hotter as you
turn it counter-clockwise. There's only one knob, unfortunately. I'll
have to look and see what model it is. I can probably find a
replacement at Home Depot or Lowe's, if that's the problem.

I've never taken one of these apart before. Is this a pretty easy job
or can it be tricky?

wrote:
Well it sounds like you have a thermostat valve, most of the time when
they need replacing is generally when they leak and cause constant
dripping, is yours wall mounted or the bedded type that is on your
bath, they tend to have a filter where they connect to the water under
the bath but I would recommend a plumber to deal with that, if it is
the valve itself that is gone generally they drip and quite expensive
to replace, you have got to know the name of the mixer to obtain the
new valve there is loads of different makes, some of them are easy to
replace but some of them are a mission.


I looked a little closer and see that it is a Moen. They must not be
proud of it, though, because the lettering is very tiny.

Here is a link for you.
There is an acrobat reader file, name "parts" below, download it so you
will get an idea, of what a "Thermostatic Cartridge" looks like, that
you will have to replace, don't let the diagrams intimidate you because
if you print a copy and remember the sequence you remove each part by
numbering it on your printed copy.

http://showhouse.moen.com/catalog/pr...hower&sku=S544

What you will have to do is to find the correct model that you need on
their Web site or phone them for help.


wrote:
wrote:
Well it sounds like you have a thermostat valve, most of the time when
they need replacing is generally when they leak and cause constant
dripping, is yours wall mounted or the bedded type that is on your
bath, they tend to have a filter where they connect to the water under
the bath but I would recommend a plumber to deal with that, if it is
the valve itself that is gone generally they drip and quite expensive
to replace, you have got to know the name of the mixer to obtain the
new valve there is loads of different makes, some of them are easy to
replace but some of them are a mission.


I looked a little closer and see that it is a Moen. They must not be
proud of it, though, because the lettering is very tiny.