I'm a novice. Basically had no water pressure in house as well as one well pressure tank so called repairman who diagnosed a bad well pump in large tank (pressure tanks were ok). Now pressure in house is fine, but water is always warm to hot no matter which faucet/shower is used. Became evident when taking a shower which became hot despite handle set to cold. I changed the cartridge in that shower before realizing it was a problem throughout my house. Obviously changing the cartridge had no effect.
Is there a blockage from well sediment causing this? Is there a simple test/fix. Should I call the well repair company or is this an internal plumbing issue now because the well is working properly?

so called repairman who diagnosed a bad well pump in large tank (pressure tanks were ok)

Don't understand that statement. Well pumps are in the well or are connected to the well and pump water into the tank. They are not in the tank.


Is there a blockage from well sediment causing this? No. There is a cross connection between the hot and cold water lines some where. If no changes have been made to the house plumbing the most likely place for this to occur is the washing machine fill/mixing valve. Sediment could be trapped in the valve, preventing it from closing properly.

To test for this, close one of the stop valves (either hot of cold) where the washer hoses connect. This will prevent hot water from moving to the cold side when water pressure on cold side changes due to your using cold water at the shower.

If this correct problem remove mixing valve from the washer, disassemble and clean.

Does the pressure tank feel warm to the touch? If not, and I'm going to guess it's a not, then the pump system is not the problem. Sounds like HK has a good idea.

Thanks for the replies. Tried as you suggested. Turned off the hot to washer and the cold side came out with normal pressure so the washer is not the problem.

A 1/2 hp, 115v pump was installed in the large tank on the side of the house. I guess that's called the aerator pump. There is a pressure tank on either side of that tank. I watched him do it and he did caution that some sediment may cause a clog in a faucet. That hasn't happened. Btw, the water flows through the outside spicket above the water cut off lever to the house just fine. Where else could a cross connection likely occur besides the washer?

Turned off the hot to washer and the cold side came out with normal pressure so the washer is not the problem.

The flow out the cold side to washer is not the question. With one of the washer valves closed, do you get cold water out the cold side of shower?

Ok. Closed the hot washer valve, turned on the shower with handle turned to coldest setting. After a few minutes the water comes out hot.

Does this happen at the shower only or does it happen at other single handle valves in the house?

Go around to each faucet and close the hot stop valve under the cabinet and test the shower valve.

It happens at all the faucets and other shower in the house (they are all single handle valves). Toilet as well. It is particularly noticeable in the bathroom where my shower is located. There are no hot stop valves under the cabinets.

Make sure that all single lever faucets are completely closed. If there is a blockage in a cold line to a faucet and the handle is turned to cold that would stop the flow of water and a person might think it was in the off position.

Turn of cold water input valve to water heater and see what happens st shower. That won't help locating where the cross connection is but might tell us something.



I watched him do it and he did caution that some sediment may cause a clog in a faucet

You must have copper pipes and the plumber must be in the habit of over heating the joints and using too much solder. When soldering, you heat the joint and the pipe melts the solder. As long as you keep heating and adding solder it will keep melting and running inside the pipe. Inside the pipe it will run or fall to a cold pipe. Hot solder will not stick, at least not permanently, to a cold pipe. Later, water flow will take the solder to the first available valve. Plumber needs to realize it doesn't take a lot of solder.

Unless changes were made to the house plumbing the cross connection can only occur at some place where hot and cold come together. That can only occur at single lever faucets (or washer) and then only if the valve is open. The only way a valve can be open and you not know it is, if it is open to the blocked side.

The only way the cross connection could occur at a two handle faucet is if both valves are open and the aerator is blocked or restricted.

Might check aerators on all faucets.

Did plumber make any connections inside the house or make any changes inside the house?

"Make sure that all single lever faucets are completely closed. If there is a blockage in a cold line to a faucet and the handle is turned to cold that would stop the flow of water and a person might think it was in the off position.

Turn of cold water input valve to water heater and see what happens st shower. That won't help locating where the cross connection is but might tell us something."



Ok. Made sure all single lever faucets are completely closed.

Turned off the cold water input valve to water heater. Turned on shower to coldest setting on handle. Waited 10 minutes. The water was still running very hot.

The house is only about 7 years old. The water to the toilet and sink in that bathroom are very hot as well. This is really frustrating. I have to take a shower in less than 3 minutes before it becomes too hot.

Until you figure out what the problem is, close the cold water input valve to the water heater . That will stop the hot water. Open it when you want hot water.

Again did the plumber make any changes to the inside plumbing? Is your tank at the well head or is it inside the house. If inside show us a picture of the tank, water heater and piping.

The plumber (well service guy) made no changes to the inside plumbing. Sorry I forgot to answer that.

I turned off the water heater at the circuit box and turned off the cold water input valve. Now there is no water coming out of each shower head (maybe a dribble when set to cold, none at hot), yet cold water comes out of the faucets when set to cold, again nothing at hot. Also, don't know if this matters, but without flipping the switch at the circuit box, hot water still came out of the shower heads and faucets no matter what temp the handle was set to. Only flipping off the water heater switch prevented hot water from coming out all outlets.

The tank is located on a concrete slab on the side of my house, with a pressure tank on either side of it. It is located about 50 feet from the actual well. I'll try to take some pics and post them. Thanks again for taking the time to help.

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Well tank where aerator pump was replaced and well pressure tanks

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First try reducing the size of those pictures. They are making reading your post to hard to read. Have to keep scrolling left and right to read them.

I can't figure out your well tank set up. I see two bladder tanks and something in between them. What is that? I see a pipe going into it but I can't see any pipe coming out.

At the water inside, I see a pipe coming through the wall and what might be the stop valve right before the expansion tank. Is that the cold water input stop valve and is that the valve you turned off?

Turning off the breakers would have no effect. Well, at least not in the short term.

I keep asking if the plumber did anything inside. Let me revise that did he do any thing around the tanks.

You said that you got no water out the cold side of the shower when you turned off the cold water stop valve to the water heater. That is what I kind of suspected. Some changes to the pipe must have been done. It is still a bit of a guess on my part but I would say that the well and tanks have been connected to the hot water out pipe of the water heater.

When you open a cold water valve the make up water from the well tank is going to the hot water out pipe of the water heater and into the water heater, Hot water is coming out of the cold water input pipe and to the cold side of the valve. Therefore you get hot water out the cold side.

When you close the cold water input valve, the well water can not make through the water heater. You said you nothing out of the shower, neither hot or cold, yet you now get cold water out of the cold side of other valves.

That sounds like the well piping or the piping out of the tank is connected to the cold side as it should be, but it is also connected to a hot water pipe.

Start following the pipe from the well, through the tanks and see what they connect to.

What is that center tank?

The tank in the center is an aerator storage tank. The only work done was the replacement of the aerator pump in that tank. It's a very common setup.

I think you misread. I stated that when the cold input valve to the water heater was turned off, I continued to get hot water out of the cold side after a few minutes. There was no difference.

Too bad we can't get more input and opinions from more members. The more brainpower, the better..

I think I am beginning to catch on. The center tank is you pump, right. Never seen a system set up like this. Where are you located. Is the pipe on the wall the line from the well?
At the water heater, the cold water piping comes in through the wall, the hot water out also goes through the wall. Does it go outside?
Is one of those pipes I see out side the hot water line?

I am located in southwest fl.

Yes, I think the pipe against the wall is the line from the well.

Again, the center tank is a form of water treatment storage tank using aeration. The pump that was replaced was the aerator pump located in that tank. It is a very common setup in this area.

turned off the cold water input valve. Now there is no water coming out of each shower head (maybe a dribble when set to cold, none at hot), yet cold water comes out of the faucets when set to cold, again nothing at hot.


Also, don't know if this matters, but without flipping the switch at the circuit box, hot water still came out of the shower heads and faucets no matter what temp the handle was set to.

Closing the water heater input valve can change things. Turning off the breakers to water heater won't make any changes to the water flow. You are only turning off the heating element. Eventually the water in the water heater will cool, but that would take several hours.

Could that aerator pump be hooked up backwards and maybe creating low pressure on the house line?

I'm calling the well service company tomorrow. I've had enough guessing. Although they will probably tell me it's a problem with the interior plumbing and not their concern. Can't live like this.

Closing the water heater input valve did nothing.

Good luck. Let me know what happens.

I'm waiting for the well tech to get here. Check this out: I opened the center storage/aeration tank and noticed that the water in the center tank was very hot and the pump was running continuously. Looks like that's my problem. I couldn't believe the well company gave me a hard time and wanted to charge me for a service call when I told them about that. Obviously there is something wrong with their repair, the pump, etc. The pump running nonstop is heating the water and thus everything that comes into the house is hot.

I'm hoping it's the wrong size pump or defective, can be changed out, and my problem solved. I'll let you know. I know for one thing, this is the last time I deal with this company unless it's a warranty issue like this one. They tried to tell me the water simply gets very hot from being in the tank in Florida? Yeah right! I've been here five years and the water in a shaded metal tank would never get so hot that you couldn't shower with it. When a company says something stupid like that you lose all faith and respect for them. I guess they don't want to stand behind their work. No more mr nice guy. We'll see...

I opened the center storage/aeration tank and noticed that the water in the center tank was very hot and the pump was running continuously

That could be but the motor would have to be extremely hot for that to be the source of the heat. I of course, can't see the piping and don't know how this this works or is suppose to work but I bet its is hooked up backwards and is some how creating a low pressure (relative to the hot water line on the water heated) and pulling hot water in.

Stand your ground with the well company. "It didn't happen before and you are the only one that has worked on it. "You touched it you own it". And "You screw it up, you come fix it". Would be my position.

Hopefully it will be resolved with out any more hassle.

I think you have found your problem. The pump in the aeration tank, which I am assuming is there to filter for iron, is running non stop and heating the water in that tank. Did you ever feel of the pressure tank to see if it felt warm??

Of course, it might be that the pump in that tank is supposed to run 24/7. Not real familiar with that type of system, but the water should not leave warm.

Do let us know how this all turns out.