Hot/Cold Water Issues
I live in a pre-war, 4 story walk up rental building. It has 20 apts, 50% market rate and 50% rent stabilized (aging/elderly tenants). The owner is not stingy (plenty of heat etc) and the super takes a lot of pride in maintaining the building. However, I have a hot/cold issue with my shower that…
I live in a pre-war, 4 story walk up rental building. It has 20 apts, 50% market rate and 50% rent stabilized (aging/elderly tenants). The owner is not stingy (plenty of heat etc) and the super takes a lot of pride in maintaining the building. However, I have a hot/cold issue with my shower that is getting worse over time. During the morning rush, and now all evening long, the hot and cold water from the shower fluctuates tremendously. Sometimes it goes to scalding hot or ice cold in less than a second. Other times it is gradual temp change. I never notice this in the faucets, only the shower. The time it takes me to shower is almost doubled because I am spending extra time adjusting the knobs or waiting for the temp to even out again. One time I almost slipped and fell trying to avoid getting scalded! I am concerned about the elderly people who can not react as quickly as myself. Anyway, I casually mentioned it to my super twice now, and his response was “the building is just old and there is nothing we can do.”
Anyone have any thoughts or advice?
FWIW, they capped off and removed the tub spout during a recently “renovation” and I have two knobs (H+C)
You may want to tell the Coop to get this problem fixed ASAP. My former coop was sued by one of our members because she was showering, had Multiple Sclerosis and could not get out of the way fast enough from the scalding water. She spent two days in the hospital with burns. Granted, she shouldn’t have been showering without an aide but that doesn’t matter in the courts these days. In the end the coop setteled with her and she moved out.
Was a big headache.
If they are actually old style faucets, it may be possible to replace the valve stems in them, a much simpler fix if it works.
RE tub spigot > dunno. They also disabled the tub drain plug thingy so no one can take baths. (Not that I care about that….) I was told prior to signing the lease that it functions as a shower only.
BOD;
DIBS’ analysis is spot on. If you are getting plenty of steady hot water in your other faucets, and the problem is only in this shower, then the issue is the mixing valve(s) there. From what you have said to date, it seems that you have one faucet/ valve for the hot water, and another for the cold. Is that right? If so,then the problem is with just one of the valves, and a plumber would have to check which one is it.
Is the “body” of the valve (the bulkly part behind the faucet handle) outside of the tile wall or behind it? If it is the former, it is a simple fix. If it is the latter, then they have to break open the tile wall, and this is probably why they are resisting your requests.
In either case, keep pestering them. You pay your rent- you’re entitled to steady hot water in the shower. Don’t let them BS you. Good luck.
I’ll let the real plumbers chime in but it sounds like it’s the mixing valve. They also may have obstructed the pipe when they were doing the “renovation” where they closed off the tub spigot. Why did they do that???
DIBS, yes, there is always plenty of hot water. And there is tons of water pressure as well. (I am on the top floor) There is tile all over the place so they would have to open that up. Maybe that is why I am getting the run around.
quote:
The time it takes me to shower is almost doubled because I am spending extra time adjusting the knobs
hehe i had that problem when i was 12. are other neighbors having the same problem?
*rob*
As a follow up question, is the water supplied to my shower typically only affected by the 3 other apts in my line, or does the entire building’s usage come into play here? I am no plumbing expert so I don’t know how it works. Thank you!
If you don’t have a similar problem with the sink faucets, I’m assuming that it’s not a problem of in sufficient hot water being delivered. Therefore, it’s most likely the mixing valve at the shower (a pressure issue). Unfortunately replacing the valve requires tile work to be done as well unless it is all conveniently availabel from behind the shower wall.