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tdg1263 · Nov 13, 2011, 10:08 AM

My house is 3 years old. The downstairs shower has no hot water and the bathtub directly above the upstairs has no cold water. I'm dumbfounded and can't figure it out. I would really appreciate some advice. Thanks

massplumber2008 · Nov 13, 2011, 10:56 AM

Hi Tdg1263

You have water flowing, right? You just don't have water that gets hot in the downstairs shower and cold water that gets cold (stays warm) at the upstairs bathtub, right?

If so, then it sounds like the balancing spool of the tub/shower valves are clogged and you may need to replace the spindle assemblies (if single lever valves) or the stem assemblies of each individual handle with the issues (two or three handle setups). You may also be able to get away with a simple cleaning/purging of the water lines going to the valves.

Let me know more, OK? Valve names, number of handles, when this started happening... that kind of stuff.

Mark

tdg1263 · Nov 13, 2011, 05:16 PM

Mark, I have cold water flowing to the shower but when you turn it to hot there's no flow at all. Upstairs there is flow always but no cold water. Thanks

tdg1263 · Nov 13, 2011, 05:18 PM

Both upstairs and downstairs have one handle you turn for hot and cold. Thanks

massplumber2008 · Nov 13, 2011, 08:24 PM

Hi there...

As I said then, "it sounds like the balancing spool of the tub/shower valves are clogged and you may need to replace the spindle assemblies. You may also be able to get away with a simple cleaning/purging of the water lines going to the valves"...

Here, shut off the water, disassemble the valves, clean them, turn water on for a couple seconds without the guts in place and then reassemble and test things. If flow or temperatures are not restored then the balancing spool (the entire cartridge assembly) needs to be replaced in one or both valves, OK?

Back to you...

tdg1263 · Nov 17, 2011, 10:17 AM

Mark, I took part the single valve assembly. I removed the cartridge. There are 2 holes, one for cold and one for hot. I turned the water back on to purge and there is water coming out of the cold only for downstairs.

massplumber2008 · Nov 17, 2011, 12:19 PM

Sounds like there is something that got shut off or plugged... ;)

Does this valve have INTEGRAL SHUTOFFS (see image)? These are seen as slotted screw heads alongside the valve body. If you have these you will need to shut the water off again and remove the nut and slotted head screw from the valve to check for a loose washer or debris. Be sure to purge water through the valve without the shutoff in place to clear everything before reassembling the shutoff.

Otherwise, trace the water pipes back as best you can, may need to get creative, but you are trying to find an inline shutoff or valve that may be obstructed or have a loose washer.

That's my thoughts...

tdg1263 · Nov 17, 2011, 04:03 PM

Mark, problem solved. It was the integral shutoffs for both bathrooms. Thanks for your help.