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HELP! Hot and Cold Water Surges in Shower ?

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HELP! Hot and Cold Water Surges in Shower ? brentrobertson 08-17-2006
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Posted by on August 17, 2006, 9:58 pm
Help! - My tenant is calling me with a real stickler of a plumbing
problem and need help diagnosing and fixing / solving this one.

DAY1-I get a call that the Hot/Cold water surges in the 2nd floor
bathroom (duplex/upper flat) shower. The Tenant downstairs is out of
state so that person can't be flushing the toliet or anything like that
(rules out the downstairs plumbing activity).

I inspect the case: I go to the shower in question, turn on the water
to a steady warm condition, and then go to the bathroom sink and turn
on the cold, feel the bath water (remains the same). I go to the
kitchen and turn on the cold (bath remains the same), turn on the hot,
(bath water remains the same)???

I go to the basement to check things out with the water heater. The
water heater is leaking bad from the bottom and is SHOT. I replace the
water heater with a brand new 50gal/water heater.

3-4weeks pass, I think - replacing the broke water heater must of fixed
that problem.

Well I get a call from the 2nd Floor Tenant again today - " The water
is surging hot/cold (I don't get the exact behavior but get the gist of
the problem) still inside the shower" I believe the hot water gets too
hot and burns the showeree or it gets too cold one or the other.

I lived in that apartment for 9mon to 1 year and never experienced this
"surging shower water problem." Can't be the person down stairs either.

I need some help diagnosing and fixing this thing for good. Any advice
and insights much appreciated.


Posted by jim on August 17, 2006, 10:12 pm
Sounds like a pressure balance promblem what brand of taps is it and I
can probaly to check. Is the pressure surging or is the temp changing
brentrobertson@hotmail.com wrote:
> Help! - My tenant is calling me with a real stickler of a plumbing
> problem and need help diagnosing and fixing / solving this one.
>
> DAY1-I get a call that the Hot/Cold water surges in the 2nd floor
> bathroom (duplex/upper flat) shower. The Tenant downstairs is out of
> state so that person can't be flushing the toliet or anything like that
> (rules out the downstairs plumbing activity).
>
> I inspect the case: I go to the shower in question, turn on the water
> to a steady warm condition, and then go to the bathroom sink and turn
> on the cold, feel the bath water (remains the same). I go to the
> kitchen and turn on the cold (bath remains the same), turn on the hot,
> (bath water remains the same)???
>
> I go to the basement to check things out with the water heater. The
> water heater is leaking bad from the bottom and is SHOT. I replace the
> water heater with a brand new 50gal/water heater.
>
> 3-4weeks pass, I think - replacing the broke water heater must of fixed
> that problem.
>
> Well I get a call from the 2nd Floor Tenant again today - " The water
> is surging hot/cold (I don't get the exact behavior but get the gist of
> the problem) still inside the shower" I believe the hot water gets too
> hot and burns the showeree or it gets too cold one or the other.
>
> I lived in that apartment for 9mon to 1 year and never experienced this
> "surging shower water problem." Can't be the person down stairs either.
>
> I need some help diagnosing and fixing this thing for good. Any advice
> and insights much appreciated.


Posted by on August 18, 2006, 10:25 am
Jim,

Hey thanks for the information!

I did do some follow up. I called the Tenant and he states:

"The water coming through the tub facet seems to be fine and runs a
normal warm temperature. It's only when you turn on the the shower,
like every time first thing in the morning, the water temperature
fluxuates, where you need to adjust the H/C controls or stand out of
the way of the hot water. It's weird." Also, he goes on to say that the
water temp doesn't change as much in the shower during "the afternoon
timeframe" when taking a shower. He goes on to say this is very
reproducable problem especially in the mornings.

Side note: To turn on the shower there is a center knob inbetween the
H/C knobs. Could this on/off shower tap or the (or a minerlized) shower
head be causing this?

Any other questions I need to ask or any additional thoughts on this
one?

Thanks again,



jim wrote:
> Sounds like a pressure balance promblem what brand of taps is it and I
> can probaly to check. Is the pressure surging or is the temp changing
.


Posted by jim on August 18, 2006, 9:29 pm
Iam not sure why the time of day would make a difference but I would
start at checking the shower diverter the handle in the middle. Take it
out and check the washer on it or replace the diverter if you can
usually thread out and thread back in new one make sure to turn off
supply. also take the head and soak it in Lime Away if you are in hard
water if these taps are 15 yrs or older you might want to look at
replacing them let me know how you make out. Really sounds like the
diverter is the promblem
brentrobertson@hotmail.com wrote:
> Jim,
>
> Hey thanks for the information!
>
> I did do some follow up. I called the Tenant and he states:
>
> "The water coming through the tub facet seems to be fine and runs a
> normal warm temperature. It's only when you turn on the the shower,
> like every time first thing in the morning, the water temperature
> fluxuates, where you need to adjust the H/C controls or stand out of
> the way of the hot water. It's weird." Also, he goes on to say that the
> water temp doesn't change as much in the shower during "the afternoon
> timeframe" when taking a shower. He goes on to say this is very
> reproducable problem especially in the mornings.
>
> Side note: To turn on the shower there is a center knob inbetween the
> H/C knobs. Could this on/off shower tap or the (or a minerlized) shower
> head be causing this?
>
> Any other questions I need to ask or any additional thoughts on this
> one?
>
> Thanks again,
>
>
>
> jim wrote:
> > Sounds like a pressure balance promblem what brand of taps is it and I
> > can probaly to check. Is the pressure surging or is the temp changing
> .


Posted by jim on August 18, 2006, 9:36 pm
Just reread your first letter and thought of something you might have
some losse solder from the tank install that has come up the pipe and
jammed in the diverter . When you have it out run the water out of it
into a pail and see if you get any solder. also take out the valves and
stick fine wire through the valve body to knock it out. remove all
valves for this and replace then try.
jim wrote:
> Iam not sure why the time of day would make a difference but I would
> start at checking the shower diverter the handle in the middle. Take it
> out and check the washer on it or replace the diverter if you can
> usually thread out and thread back in new one make sure to turn off
> supply. also take the head and soak it in Lime Away if you are in hard
> water if these taps are 15 yrs or older you might want to look at
> replacing them let me know how you make out. Really sounds like the
> diverter is the promblem
> brentrobertson@hotmail.com wrote:
> > Jim,
> >
> > Hey thanks for the information!
> >
> > I did do some follow up. I called the Tenant and he states:
> >
> > "The water coming through the tub facet seems to be fine and runs a
> > normal warm temperature. It's only when you turn on the the shower,
> > like every time first thing in the morning, the water temperature
> > fluxuates, where you need to adjust the H/C controls or stand out of
> > the way of the hot water. It's weird." Also, he goes on to say that the
> > water temp doesn't change as much in the shower during "the afternoon
> > timeframe" when taking a shower. He goes on to say this is very
> > reproducable problem especially in the mornings.
> >
> > Side note: To turn on the shower there is a center knob inbetween the
> > H/C knobs. Could this on/off shower tap or the (or a minerlized) shower
> > head be causing this?
> >
> > Any other questions I need to ask or any additional thoughts on this
> > one?
> >
> > Thanks again,
> >
> >
> >
> > jim wrote:
> > > Sounds like a pressure balance promblem what brand of taps is it and I
> > > can probaly to check. Is the pressure surging or is the temp changing
> > .


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