Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    segcor's Avatar
    segcor Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Jul 23, 2008, 07:44 PM
    Hot water coming from cold water pipe?
    When I turn on the cold water tap, cold water comes out initially, but quickly and momentarily becomes hot for about 30 seconds, then cold again. At the hot water heater, the cold water feed pipe feels cold to the touch when I turn on the hot water faucet - which makes sense and seems normal. If I turn off the hot water faucet and turn on the cold water faucet, the cold water feed pipe to the hot water heater feels hot to the touch and hot water comes out of the cold water faucet - which doesn't make sense. After 30 seconds, cold water will come out and the cold water feeder pipe to the hot water tank will feel cold to the touch - as it should be. So it seems the flow of water from the hot water tank reverses momentarily, then corrects to the proper flow direction, perhaps when water pressure equalizes. Is that messed up or what? Does my water heater have a broken check-valve or some other type of pressure equalizing/relieving device?
    Milo Dolezal's Avatar
    Milo Dolezal Posts: 7,192, Reputation: 523
    Plumbing Expert
    		  
    #2

    Jul 23, 2008, 11:09 PM
    Install back-flow preventer on cold water nipple at your w/h. It seems to me that you have thermal expension problem. Your system pressurizes pushing hot water to the opposite direction. Once the excess of pressure is going to, all returns to normal.

    The back flow preventer you want to install is the one for VERTICAL installation. Don't try to install the one for horizontal installation since it will not eliminate your problem.
Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions
 

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Cold water coming out of hot water tap in bathroom but Really hot water in kitchen [ 7 Answers ]

Can anyone give me a reason as to why nearly completely cold water is coming out of my hot water tap in my bathroom but when I run the hot water tap in the kitchen the water is nearly boiling. The hot water and cold water taps are separate in the bathroom, where the kitchen has a handle which...

Cold water coming out outside overflow pipe [ 10 Answers ]

I noticed a fairly steady drip of cool or cold water coming out of my outside overflow drain in the eve of my house. Also, there is quite a bit of water collected on the ground. It has been quite hot outside and my A/C has been running quite a bit so I am not sure I really have anything to worry...

Hot water coming from cold side tap even though hot water supply shut off [ 2 Answers ]

Hi I been having problem for past year now hot water comes from the cold side tap, I only have 1 tap that shares water hot and cold the other 2 I have are 2 separate hot cold and 2 are just cold taps now I have even shut the cold water supply to the hot water tank off, but yet when I run the...

Trickling or No Water in Cold Water Pipe in 1 Bathroom [ 1 Answers ]

The cold water in the sink and toilet tank in our basement bathroom comes out either as a trickle or not at all. The cold water works fine in all the other bathrooms (2), the kitchen and laundry room. The toilet water connection is turned on all the way, as is the sink. The hot water in the sink...

No Water coming from pipe [ 2 Answers ]

We had to replace the water pipe in the ground going to the house and thought we did it successfully but we can't get any water from pipes. Is there some way we can clear the pipe in case it got dirt in it without digging it all up again? Please help! Thank you

View more questions Search