How can I fix my shower? It’s freezing cold!

Question

My shower is freezing cold. The sinks get some good, high temps, but I can’t figure out how to get warm water in the shower. And the faceplate for the knob in the shower doesn’t come off, so I can’t find a scald guard. How do I fix my shower?

–Stephanie

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Answer

Unless the supply line for the hot water pipe feeding the shower is shut off (or nearly off) this sounds like a plumber job. If you can find the pipes that feed the shower, check the valves (they usually look like garden hose valves). If you can open them (lefty-loosie is what you’re looking for; or in-line with the pipe if it’s a handle) you might get more hot H2O supplying the shower. Otherwise, you may have a water blockage.

Also, it is worth noting that minerals that can corrode pipes can also be very problematic for your skin and health. With that in mind, you may want to install a showerhead filter in the future to make sure that all those minerals and particles don’t end up hitting your body every day as you wash, keeping your skin and body as healthy as possible. 

Back to the issue concerning heating your shower, minerals in the water corrode and block pipes. You may need a plumber to locate it, cut it out and so on.

You’ll also need to brush up on your drywall skills because the likelihood he’ll have to open up a wall or walls sounds high. Look for pipes coming out of the hot water heater and under the bathroom sink and/or in a closet in the bathroom. Valves may also hidden in little cubbies behind little doors in the backs of closets. I’ve also seen them hidden behind “magazine racks” and other carpentry elements that cover a hole from a previous repair on the shower-supply wall.

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