TEPID WATER IN ISOLATED SPOTS! NEED PLUMBING GUIDANCE! HELP!

I have a really weird issue. Two bathrooms lined up with each other: one on third floor, one on fourth.  I’m getting only tepid water out of the showers — the sinks give me hot water. That suggests it’s not the shower fixtures. Could be something with the risers. But it’s relatively new piping — installed in 2008-9\. I suppose the hot water pipe could be leaking in the wall, unbeknownst to me. Is there any way cold water is getting into the hot water pipes so it’s not hot? I’d hate to have to break all the walls!

homely

in Brownstoner 12 years and 4 months ago

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eman134 | 12 years and 4 months ago

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some debris got in the water line and choked the shower bodies…not that unusual in new york city

ellenlourie | 12 years and 4 months ago

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it is shower fixtures. go to their manufacrturers website, download manuals and read part related to maintenance.

homely | 12 years and 4 months ago

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Hot water heater is about 2 years old.

eman134 | 12 years and 4 months ago

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almost every modern shower fixture is antiscald, and as MP said your shower fixtures are at fault …probably  the hot side is blocked by debris in the line….a skilled plumber like MP may be able to take it apart and rebuild it, but that does not solve the underlying problem of whythe line is full of debris, it may welll be the HW heater is failing…how old is it

homely | 12 years and 4 months ago

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Let me articulate better, as cmu noted: It’s not logical that two would go at the same time. I meant: “That suggests it’s not the water heater.” The fixtures are thermostatic. I can remove the trim and look inside to see what’s what. One’s a Rohl, the other is some other high-end company. They’re only five years old and very expensive. It can’t be the anti-scald as they’ve been working for years with plenty of hot, unless it spontaneously engaged.

berniceshola | 12 years and 4 months ago

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My shower fixtures have a very simple anti-scald control screw inside the handle. It prevents too high a proportion of hot water from entering the shower flow. Very easy to adjust with a screwdriver.

Master Plvmber | 12 years and 4 months ago

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“tepid water out of the showers — the sinks give me hot water. That suggests it’s not the shower fixtures.” 
You’ve got that exactly backwards. It’s your shower fixtures.

needmtg | 12 years and 4 months ago

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Could it be the shower fixtures..if they’re thrmostatic, they could just be off  (unlikely two would fail at the same time, I suppose.) If you have access through the backside of the shower and it happens tobe in a closet (as I have,) rather than fixing the hole I installed an inspection flap (if that’s the right word,) so next time I can just open it to gain access. I think all bathrooms should be this way, they are in Europe, you even see tiled sections that pop in/out for access.