So the water coming out of your shower faucet doesn’t get hot…
I’ve been there too – And after a bit of research, I was able to fix my cold water issue on my own!
If you the water temperature in your shower is cold and won’t get hot, there are a few possible causes:
- If you don’t have hot water in other areas of your home, it is likely that you have a hot water heater issue. This could be a water heater malfunction, a bad heating element, or your water heater could simply be shut off. Depending on the culprit, water heater issues may be better rectified by a plumber.
- However, if you only have a hot water issue in your shower, there are likely two possible culprits:
- The anti-scald guard setting on your shower valve may need to be adjusted.
- Your shower mixing valve may be broken and, if so, it must be replaced.
Let’s take a look at deeper look at the solutions above.
Adjusting the Anti-Scald Guard Setting on your Shower Valve
If you recently replaced the shower valve and faucet in your shower, it is likely that you will need to adjust the anti-scald setting on the mixing valve. Put simply, the anti-scald guard is a setting on your shower valve that limits the maximum temperature of your shower – it is used as a safety measure to prevent burns/scalding, especially for young children. Here is what it looks like up close:
To access your anti-scald guard dial as seen above, remove the shower handle by loosening the lock screw with an Allen wrench. Once the handle is loosened, remove the handle to expose the anti-scald dial.
Adjust the dial as required to give your shower the desired temperature. The Anti-scald guard setting can be adjusted to limit the maximum water temperature.
Test to see if your adjustment to the anti-scald guard device resolved your hot water issue. If it did, GREAT! Put your shower handle back in place and secure it with your Allen wrench.
Check out the Video Below for step-by-step guide on how to adjust the anti-scald guard setting on your shower:
If adjusting the anti-scald guard did not resolve your hot water issue, it is likely that there is an issue with your shower mixing valve.
Replacing your Shower Mixing Valve
Fortunately, replacing your shower mixing valve is relatively easy. Consult your shower valve user manual (you can usually find this information online) to determine what replacement mixing valve cartridge you will need to order.
Once you have ordered your replacement mixing valve, shut off the upstream water valve going to the shower. Next, remove the shower valve bonnet which is a metal ring that threads onto your shower valve assembly.
Next, Remove the broken shower mixing valve cartridge and replace it with the new mixing valve. Replace, the bonnet and then re-open the water supply valve that was closed previously. Test the shower water to ensure that your issue has been resolved and then replace your shower handle, tightening it with an Allen wrench.
If you still have an issue with your water temperature after trying the repairs above, it might be best to contact a professional plumber.
Thanks for reading and good luck with your home renovation projects!
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