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November 25, 2008

Hot water out of our cold faucet

a few of our apartments have been getting surges of hot water out of our cold tap when the oil burner tuns on to heat the hot water for the building. The heating company says it isn't the boiler, and they have come out to look at it and said that there is nothing wrong with the coils or the boiler itself. He suggested that there might be a worn washer and we need a separate plumber. I was going to get a plumber that specializes in heating systems.

Any recommendations? Does it make sense that it may not be the boiler? If the plumber finds fault with the boiler, do we go after the the heating company under our contract?

Comments

If it's only occurring at one tap and not all of the others then its definitely an issue with the mixing valve at the tap, usually a washer issue.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 25, 2008 9:22 AM

similar problem here: hot and cold water are supplied via separate lines to kitchen faucet. Cold water will run lukewarm for a couple of seconds, get warmer, run warm, not hot, but definitely warm and cool down after running for two minutes. That is a lot of water to save for my three plants and I can't carry buckets to my bathroom where I just installed a water efficient toilet.... I have thought about insulating but i think these pipes are running through walls...

Posted by: zapzap at November 25, 2008 9:42 AM

It's occurring in the 3 apartments closet to the boiler

Posted by: funstraw at November 25, 2008 9:58 AM

Here is one reason why you are getting warm water from you cold tap . Water when not running sits in pipes in your basement near your furnace warming up the cold water line. After you run the cold water and all the warm water runs out you then start getting cold water. Vie versa is when you run your hot water and wait a minute for it to worm up.

Posted by: SHAYLA at November 25, 2008 10:36 AM

We have the same problem. I think it happens when the water pressure is higher on the hot line than on the cold line. That pressurized water flows out of the hot line and up into the cold line, must be at the mixing valve.

Our oil company said we need some device on the line to prevent backflow on the hot line.

This was a couple of years ago, I may not have all the details correct. Have not taken this any further.

Posted by: phripley at November 25, 2008 10:38 AM

To clarify the above, when I said mixing valve, I meant the main mixing value at the boiler. Not the one that DIBS mentioned at the tap.

Posted by: phripley at November 25, 2008 10:47 AM

Thank you all

I think in my situation DIBS and PHripley are probably targeting the problem best. Shayla, we thought of that but it happens while water is running and the boiler kicks on for hot water. Now I just need to figure out who the best person is to hire for this. Any Recomendations

Posted by: funstraw at November 25, 2008 12:11 PM