View Full Version : After hard freeze and pipe burst, no hot water coming from tubs...
hlttlh
Feb 6, 2011, 07:36 AM
We had a hard freeze where my pipes burst. The leak is fixed and cold water works everywhere in my house. Hot works everywhere BUT my 2 bathtubs. In there when you turn on the hot tap, nothing comes out, not air or anything. The cold still works fine in the 2 bathrooms.
I have an electric water heater, but as the hot water still works in the kitchen, dishwasher, laundry room, and bathroom sinks I do not think it is that.
Thanks for any help!
massplumber2008
Feb 6, 2011, 07:59 AM
Hi Hlttlh...
Are the tubs back to back or separated by a great distance?
Since hot water freezes before cold water will, I'm wondering if the hot pipes to the tubs are still frozen... maybe?
Let me know more, OK?
Mark
hlttlh
Feb 6, 2011, 08:05 AM
The bathrooms are right next to each other but not back to back. The sinks (which are back to back) work in both. I don't think the hot water is frozen as the few neighbors I've talked to have water from both hot and cold. Not sure if this is relevant but I have galvanized pipes. Also, when we first fixed the leak... water came out of the hot for about a minute and it was rusty but then stopped. I've tried the taps several times over the last couple of days for various amounts of time with no results.
Thank you!
Teri
hlttlh
Feb 6, 2011, 08:27 AM
Also, just as a side not it back up in the 60's here for the second day in a row.
parttime
Feb 6, 2011, 08:45 AM
hlttlh, sounds like the repair may have knocked some corrosion loose, galvanized is bad for that. Do you have access to the pipes near the tubs? You may have to take the valves apart and clean, may try pecking on the lines to shake up anything loose. Good luck
massplumber2008
Feb 6, 2011, 10:18 AM
Check for a common shutoff that may feed the hot water exclusively to the tubs... if present turn off and then turn back on and see if that dislodged any sediment/debris in the shutoff.
If no common shutoff and the sinks have hot water then as Parttime said, you'll need to shut off the water and disassemble the valves in question. When you have disassembled each valve, turn the water back on to purge the line of sediment/debris and then clean the parts and reassemble all. That should resolve the issue if it is sediment related.
Thoughts? Let us know...
hlttlh
Feb 7, 2011, 01:32 PM
Thank you. I took apart the valves and purge the line. You would not believe the stuff that came out of there (or actually I guess you would since you're a plumber! ). It fixed it. Who says girls can't be handy?
Thanks a bunch, you saved me a lot of money and now I know how to fix it if it ever happens again!
massplumber2008
Feb 7, 2011, 01:38 PM
Hey! Thank you for popping back to let us know the result! Always appreciated!
Mark
elmaluv
Feb 9, 2011, 10:40 AM
We had a hard freeze all my under pipes froze we had no water inside the house for 7 days we had water in the outside ot the house now we fixed all the busted pipes bu we don't have hot water it looks like the water heater stopped working can u tell me what could have happen
massplumber2008
Feb 9, 2011, 10:43 AM
Elmaluv
Is this an electric or gas water heater? Let me know and I'll post an answer when I get back in from work. I'm off and running now.
Mark