Help! - My tenant is calling me with a real stickler of a plumbing
problem and need help diagnosing and fixing / solving this one.

DAY1-I get a call that the Hot/Cold water surges in the 2nd floor
bathroom (duplex/upper flat) shower. The Tenant downstairs is out of
state so that person can't be flushing the toliet or anything like that

(rules out the downstairs plumbing activity).


I inspect the case: I go to the shower in question, turn on the water
to a steady warm condition, and then go to the bathroom sink and turn
on the cold, feel the bath water (remains the same). I go to the
kitchen and turn on the cold (bath remains the same), turn on the hot,
(bath water remains the same)???


I go to the basement to check things out with the water heater. The
water heater is leaking bad from the bottom and is SHOT. I replace the
water heater with a brand new 50gal/water heater.


3-4weeks pass, I think - replacing the broke water heater must of fixed

that problem.


Well I get a call from the 2nd Floor Tenant again today - " The water
is surging hot/cold (I don't get the exact behavior but get the gist of

the problem) still inside the shower" I believe the hot water gets too
hot and burns the showeree or it gets too cold one or the other.


I lived in that apartment for 9mon to 1 year and never experienced this

"surging shower water problem." Can't be the person down stairs either.



The only thing I can think of is that this scenario is happening:

Guy takes shower, turns on hot, after 5 min the H20 Heater demands cold
water to fill the tank, this cold water depletes this guy's "cold"
water in the shower and thereby causes a surge in water temperature?"
Do you think that could happen or has that ever happend to anyone?


I need some help diagnosing and fixing this thing for good. Any advice
and insights much appreciated.

Your incoming cold supply is virtually unlimited compared to the
shower. I don't think your diagnosis is correct. Try the same test on
a sink, and if that same problem doesn't occur, it's the shower
faucet...
good luck

wrote:
Help! - My tenant is calling me with a real stickler of a plumbing
problem and need help diagnosing and fixing / solving this one.

DAY1-I get a call that the Hot/Cold water surges in the 2nd floor
bathroom (duplex/upper flat) shower. The Tenant downstairs is out of
state so that person can't be flushing the toliet or anything like that

(rules out the downstairs plumbing activity).


I inspect the case: I go to the shower in question, turn on the water
to a steady warm condition, and then go to the bathroom sink and turn
on the cold, feel the bath water (remains the same). I go to the
kitchen and turn on the cold (bath remains the same), turn on the hot,
(bath water remains the same)???


I go to the basement to check things out with the water heater. The
water heater is leaking bad from the bottom and is SHOT. I replace the
water heater with a brand new 50gal/water heater.


3-4weeks pass, I think - replacing the broke water heater must of fixed

that problem.


Well I get a call from the 2nd Floor Tenant again today - " The water
is surging hot/cold (I don't get the exact behavior but get the gist of

the problem) still inside the shower" I believe the hot water gets too
hot and burns the showeree or it gets too cold one or the other.


I lived in that apartment for 9mon to 1 year and never experienced this

"surging shower water problem." Can't be the person down stairs either.



The only thing I can think of is that this scenario is happening:

Guy takes shower, turns on hot, after 5 min the H20 Heater demands cold
water to fill the tank, this cold water depletes this guy's "cold"
water in the shower and thereby causes a surge in water temperature?"
Do you think that could happen or has that ever happend to anyone?


I need some help diagnosing and fixing this thing for good. Any advice
and insights much appreciated.

Guy takes shower, turns on hot, after 5 min the H20 Heater demands cold
water to fill the tank, this cold water depletes this guy's "cold"
water in the shower and thereby causes a surge in water temperature?"
Do you think that could happen or has that ever happend to anyone?


The water heater is demanding cold water to replenish what is going out the
shower head the second he turns on the hot, so this can't be it.

The only thing that would happen after 5 minutes is that the temp in the
tank drops below a threshold and the thermostat calls for heat (elements
turn on, gas burner lights, etc.) which would have no immediate effect on
the temp of the water.

Many shower faucets have a pressure balancing unit or similar that will
compensate for a difference in water pressure (flushing toilet)that
moves inside the valve. If it is failing it may not move the way it
should, causing it to not move at all to the change in pressure, or may
stick and overcompensate, stick and overcompensate in the other direction.

g

Well I get a call from the 2nd Floor Tenant again today - " The water
is surging hot/cold (I don't get the exact behavior but get the gist of

the problem) still inside the shower" I believe the hot water gets too
hot and burns the showeree or it gets too cold one or the other.


Be helpful to know which, don't you think?

Is it just the shower, or does the tub spout
do the same thing? Which thing? Stick
your arm in for 6 minutes and find out.

Goedjn wrote:

Well I get a call from the 2nd Floor Tenant again today - " The water
is surging hot/cold (I don't get the exact behavior but get the gist of

the problem) still inside the shower" I believe the hot water gets too
hot and burns the showeree or it gets too cold one or the other.


Be helpful to know which, don't you think?

Is it just the shower, or does the tub spout
do the same thing? Which thing? Stick
your arm in for 6 minutes and find out.

I'm going to try to get over there this weekend and do that exact check
(shower vs tub facet) and ask as well. I'm going on the center diffuser
rubber back washer is cracked or broke. I'm going to replace both the
hot and cold black rubber washer and do that "drill the washer seat
inside the stem" operation too. After inspection and maintenance of
this part of the plumbing, all three stems (I think there is), I hope
this one gets closed and will update on whats found and after effects.