I've got a shower that produces hot water no problem from the shower head, but when you pull up on the tub spout to change it to a bath, the water goes cold within 20 seconds. All my coworkers are suggesting to replace the shower cartridge. I took it out to inspect it, and it seems like it is still okay. However, I do not understand why this would be causing it. Another thing to mention is that when I shut the water valves off, and then turned them back on after, the water was brown and spewing out a lot of stuff for a short while until the water went back to normal. I'm not sure if that is supposed to happen or not.
Only getting hot water from shower head but not from tub spout
- Thread starter BRNBRK
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Diehard
In Remembrance
The first thing that entered my mind when switching from shower to tub was perhaps the big change in volume had something to do with it. ????
When you "shut the water valves off, and then turned them back on after, the water was brown", is that in the high volume tub mode or in the relatively low volume shower mode?
When you "shut the water valves off, and then turned them back on after, the water was brown", is that in the high volume tub mode or in the relatively low volume shower mode?
I believe it was from the tub. The pressure from the tub spout is also relatively weak. It probably takes a good 10 minutes to fill the tub.
Diehard
In Remembrance
Most tub faucets run at approximately 4 to 7 gallons per minute while the showers are limited to around 2.5 gpm depending on you code.
I'm afraid I have no experience with single handle shower valves so you'll have to wait for a real plumber.
I'm afraid I have no experience with single handle shower valves so you'll have to wait for a real plumber.
Last edited:
Jeff Handy
Pro Handyman, NOT A Pro Plumber
Post a pic of the tub valve and trim plate behind it.
It could be that you have a pressure balancing (anti-scald) type of tub/shower valve. And the pressure balance unit is going bad, maybe the higher flow through the tub spout is making it crap out, but it is able to handle the weaker flow through the shower head.
Lots of yucky water and dark discharge is very common when turning the water off then back on.
Especially if you have older plumbing, or galvanized steel, or are on well water.
It could be that you have a pressure balancing (anti-scald) type of tub/shower valve. And the pressure balance unit is going bad, maybe the higher flow through the tub spout is making it crap out, but it is able to handle the weaker flow through the shower head.
Lots of yucky water and dark discharge is very common when turning the water off then back on.
Especially if you have older plumbing, or galvanized steel, or are on well water.