Thursday, April 16, 2009

Longing for a hot shower…

Is your shower not running hot water? Are you experiencing only cold water running through all of your faucets and fixtures or is it just your shower? This constant cold water flow could be due to a number of different issues.

If all of the fixtures in your home are having cold-water issues, the water heater in your home could be the problem. First, begin by checking your water heater’s temperature to see if it is set on the proper setting. If the heater is an electric model, check for a blown fuse. If the heater is a gas unit the pilot light may need to be relit. After relighting the pilot light, if there is still no hot water there could either be an impediment in the flue, a malfunctioning part, a defective temperature control or a buildup of sediment.

The pipes in your shower could be another cause for a lack of hot water. Unless your home has copper piping, which hardly ever corrodes, you may need to inspect and replace your galvanized steel pipes. The issue may also be that you need to check your hot water valve. If your hot water valve is only slightly open or not open at all you will need to widen the opening.

After checking the water heater and pipes if you do not find anything wrong the problem could also lie in the valve in your shower. After time the rubber parts in the valve become worn out, they may begin to bulge and block the waterways. When the water temperature passing through the valve increases the valve enlarges, this leads to parts falling off and obstructing the hot water valve.

Diagnosing your own hot water problem is not always easy. If you are experiencing a shortage of hot water in your home call Russo Bros. & Co. and we will gladly come inspect the possible problem areas and give you an estimate on the spot.

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