Kitchen sink - hot water stopped working

[edsly42]

I have a situation where the hot water at my kitchen sink, all of a sudden, stopped working. Cold still works fine. Hot water in the rest of the house works fine. Suspect a clog somewhere in the valve/faucet? I just installed a new dishwasher, hooking into the same hot water valve under kitchen sink so maybe that knocked something loose?

The valve is just like this one, but plastic, not brass:

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kNaVBHn1vGo/maxresdefault.jpg


Anyway, I'm planning to take the valve and faucet apart to figure out where the line is jammed up but I'm wondering about shutting off the water. If I shut off the water main to the house, will that shut off the hot water immediately? I'm thinking that with the tank full of hot water, I'd have to run through all that water before the line would be dry. Is that wrong? Is there a way to shut off the hot water coming out of the water heater?


Thanks for taking a look.

 

[Jamesplumbing06]

Turn off water heater power and main house valve. This is easiest to find and safest to operate. Turn on an outdoor faucet to drain pressure. Then you can focus without being rushed by a flood. I bet the seal on inside of stem come apart and shoved itself in supply line. Take supply lines off and blow thru. Then try to disassemble valve to remove remaining seal. You find the clog at this point.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

I don't mean to sound crass, because Lord knows I have done it. Did you make sure you opened the right side of the valve?

 

[edsly42]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I opened both sides of the valve. It actually worked for a few days after I installed the dishwasher. Then last night, out of nowhere, the hot just stopped working. Or it's just barely dribbling. So I tried open/closing both sides of the valve splitter, still nothing. Dishwasher seems to still be getting water.

Jamesplumbing, when you say the seal inside of the "stem", do you mean inside the valve splitter? Sorry, I'm sure I'm messing up the terms. Also, I was wrong, the lines are plastic but the valve itself is brass.

Thanks

 

[CT18]

Shut the hot valve and disconnect supply from faucet. Put the supply in a bucket or cup and turn the valve on and see what you get. If no water work your way back. If no water take the hose to see if there is water at the valve

 

[edsly42]

Ok, so I pulled the hose that runs from the shutoff valve under the sink up to the faucet and sure enough, found a half-marble sized chunk of black rubber jammed in there. I pulled it out. I'm guessing this is a piece of a busted seal somewhere? Likely from that same same valve splitter? And if I just reinstall the hose after removing the clog, I'll still have issues as the valve seal (or whatever the black rubber chunk is from) is now busted?

 

[edsly42]

I tried like hell to get the splitter valve (my made-up term) off to replace it because I suspect that the busted seal is inside that. But since I wasn't able to get it off and I've got a busy afternoon and leaving for the weekend tomorrow, I decided to just hook it back up. I know there's a broken seal somewhere. I suspect that it's in the "splitter". Hopefully a broken seal inside the splitter won't cause in leaking outside? And then I can replace the part next week when I have some time. Let me know if I'm wrong about any of this. Or if you have any tricks for getting that valve off.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Geofd]

THOSE VALVES are very easy to fix.....they make replacement washers that will pop on in about a minute....remove the handle.....loosen the nut around the stem and un thread the stem there is a small washer at the bottom of the stem...if its not there look inside the valve body you can remove it with needle nose pliers or metal coat hanger with a little hook on the end.....then just reassemble

 

[Geofd]

I tried like hell to get the splitter valve (my made-up term) off to replace it because I suspect that the busted seal is inside that. But since I wasn't able to get it off and I've got a busy afternoon and leaving for the weekend tomorrow, I decided to just hook it back up. I know there's a broken seal somewhere. I suspect that it's in the "splitter". Hopefully a broken seal inside the splitter won't cause in leaking outside? And then I can replace the part next week when I have some time. Let me know if I'm wrong about any of this. Or if you have any tricks for getting that valve off.

Thanks again for the help.

when you get back just disconnect you faucet supply face it into a bucket and turn the water back on then you will see if the valve is clogged

 

[Jamesplumbing06]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I opened both sides of the valve. It actually worked for a few days after I installed the dishwasher. Then last night, out of nowhere, the hot just stopped working. Or it's just barely dribbling. So I tried open/closing both sides of the valve splitter, still nothing. Dishwasher seems to still be getting water.

Jamesplumbing, when you say the seal inside of the "stem", do you mean inside the valve splitter? Sorry, I'm sure I'm messing up the terms. Also, I was wrong, the lines are plastic but the valve itself is brass.

Thanks

Try the above also. But yeah the rubber at end of stem you twist to turn on and off.
The above post will tell you if you should proceed with my suggestion.

 

[Jamesplumbing06]

We like pictures too. Just behind handle is a bonnet nut. Spin it off. While un threading handle. TURN WATER OFF FIRST. Then remove supply lines end. At this time make note of how deep the poly line was inside valve. Sometimes they can wedge into the waterway. But then look for your seal. And follow geo about replacing that seal.