shower...No cold water

[Bambito]

Turn the shower on and if I turn it all the way to cold all I get is a trickle of cold water. Any idea what the problem is?? Thanks

[CAMAN]

I assume you checked all valves are open? Also make sure your water line isn't frozen.

If everything checks out good it sounds like your mixing valve is stuck. There is a sliding spool that regulates the water flow preventing massive temperature swings. Depending on model you may need to replace the entire cartridge or just a couple parts and seals.

[aanderud]

Depending on model you may need to replace the entire cartridge or just a couple parts and seals.

Ditto on this. The cartridge usually doesn't cost a whole lot, but you can rebuild them if you want to save a bit of cash -- just by the seals or whatever part you need. One thing you don't want to do is buy some off-brand. When this happened to my shower, I pulled out the cartridge and looked around online and found an off-brand for maybe $15 less than the delta one. I bought it, installed it, and I had this crazy hammer noise for the first 2 minutes of every shower for the next week. Returned it and got an actual 'delta' one and it worked flawlessly.

[Tom7227]

Any chance that the lines are on an outside wall? Could be that the cold water line is starting to freeze up.

[liebs]

I had a similar problem with my month old kitchen faucet. Worked fine until one night when I barely got any hot water out. After checking the supply lines, I removed the faucet handle and checked the cartridge. There was a small chunk of plastic sitting in the hole that the hot water was supposed to come out of. I removed that, rinsed the cartridge and everything works fine now. I just wish I knew where that plastic came from.

[WWW]

Dip tube on water heater disintegrating.

[Bambito]

Checked the lines and they do not run along the outside wall so no chance of being froze. Changed the cartridge and still no cold water....and other ideas? Thanks

[Bambito]

Would be ok to leave the cartridge off and turn the water on slowly to see if I am getting cold water out of the cold water line???

[CAMAN]

Would be ok to leave the cartridge off and turn the water on slowly to see if I am getting cold water out of the cold water line???

Yes, just throw a towel over the drain incase some parts or seals are still in there.

[Bambito]

ok did that and I have very little water coming out of the cold line. Do I have a calcium build up in the line maybe?

[traveler]

I've had no cold water in the bathroom sink for a couple of months now. Why so long? Because the ladies haven't complained, so why fix it!

I did talk to a plumber on a job the other day and asked him...he said it could be a sticky valve on the cold water supply line. Maybe I'll look into it someday...

[CAMAN]

I'd venture to guess you have a frozen line, your supply line may be routed in such a way that it runs through a cold zone. Frozen lines are very common this year, run it for 10 minutes and see if it gets better. If it starts getting better run it until you think it is back to full pressure.

[WWW]

Maybe. What type of piping and how old is it. If its steel it time to replace it.

[nobody05]

yes look and see if you have any galvonized pipe/fittings to that bathroom. Did it all of a sudden start or slowly progressivly got worse?

[Bambito]

The lines are a hard white plastic. I have cold water in the sink in that bathroom but not in the shower. They share one line and then T off. There is no way that its froze. I can see the line from where it T's from the sink line and I can run my hand all the way down it to the actual faucet. Only thing is is I cant get back there to work on it cause its only about 8 inches away from the outside wall. I took a portable air tank with a nozzle to it today. Took the cartridge back off and blew some air through the cold water hole in the actual faucet. Got nothing. So my only guess is that its a faulty faucet or something is blocking the line. (Calcium buildup) Any other suggestions before I call a plumber! Wanna get all my hunny to do dump done before open water season:)

[nobody05]

Does your shower valve have shut of valves before it like this?

[Walleyehooker]

Sounds like some crud in the cartridge. Pull out and inspect/clean or replace. Shut off the water before you pull it.

[Bambito]

nobody...no it does not. Walleyehooker I already did that and still nothing. But thanks for all the advice guys! Its time to call the plumber. after we get back from mexico that is! Stay warm all!

[WWW]

You dont happen to be on a well do you? Had a low pressure call yesterday. Cut apart the lines and they where solid with rust build up in them. Thick red goo filling the lines.