Hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet? Don’t worry, it can be fixed. Hot water not coming out of the bathtub faucet is the worst thing you can ever imagine, especially when you do not have the money to spend on a professional plumber. If your bathtub faucet also has the same issue, then don’t worry. You can do it yourself with little care and no extra amount. All you need to do is find out all the reasons for the “no hot water” problem and check their solutions.
In this detailed guide, we have mentioned 9 potential reasons with practically possible solutions to this problem. Just go step-by-step and see what’s wrong with your bathtub faucet. You will finally trace out your problem and fix it the way described. So, let’s get started.
1. Disconnected Water Heater
Are you experiencing hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet? If there is no hot water from your bathtub faucet, the first reason could be the disconnected power supply. Sometimes, gas or electric heaters are disconnected for other reasons, and without a power connection, there is no hot water. Similarly, the water heater may have also been switched off.
How to fix it:
Before doing anything, check your water heater’s power supply and ensure your bathroom has unrestricted water and power supply. Similarly, you can reset the heating system if there is a switch on it. Doing so will give you an instant hot water supply in your bathtub faucet if everything else is fine.
| Reasons | Solutions |
| Disconnected Water Heater | Check the power supply, ensure water and power access, and reset the heating system. |
| Incorrect Anti-scald Setting | Adjust anti-scald valve temperature using a spanner. |
| Hot Water Heater Malfunctioning | Check elements, thermostat, restart heater, or replace broken parts. |
| Hard Water Accumulation | Clean components or use a water softener system. |
| The heater is too Small | Upgrade to a larger water heater if necessary, and adjust the thermostat. |
| Defective Faucet or Valve | Replace the faulty faucet, and inspect and replace the valve if needed. |
| Pipe Leakage | Replace leaky pipe; temporarily use rubber tape. |
| Plumbing Crossover Problem | Limit cold water supply temporarily; consider valve replacement. |
| Harsh Winter | Properly seal the house, and install heating system for normal temperatures and water flow. |
2. Incorrect Anti-scald Setting
One of the most common yet significant reasons for hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet is its incorrect anti-scald valve setting.
Anti-scald valve is a valve for temperature regulation that prevents you from being scalding and keeps the water in a normal range. Thus, it helps prevent the risk of overheating and burn injuries. Sometimes, this valve is not set to the required warm temperature, and your bathtub gives only cold water (or less hot water).
How to fix it:
Fixing the wrong anti-scald vale is the best approach to solve this issue. There are two main types of anti-scald valve:
- Pressure balanced valves
- Thermostatic mixing valves
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First, locate the valve for your bathtub. Depending on the tub designs and models, it could be behind the bath panel or elsewhere. After locating the valve, remove anti-scald valve cap. This cap needs to be removed to reach the nut for opening and closing of the valve. A small central screw will usually hold this cap. Now adjust the temperature using a spanner and turn the nut until you set it to the desired level.
3. Hot Water Heater Malfunctioning
Hot water in the bathtub comes from the hot water heater – that’s obvious. Now, the malfunctioning of this heater may result in no hot water coming out of the bathtub faucet. There is a chance that the heater is old enough, needs to be replaced, or is just faulty for some mechanical reasons.
How to fix it:
If you have located a problem in the water heater, proceed to its elements for rectification. Electric water heaters have proper heating elements for hot water flow, and there is an absolute chance that one or more of those elements are not working fine. It may cause cold or lukewarm water in the faucet. This should fix your problem of hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet.
Similarly, the heater’s thermostat may need to be replaced, or sometimes restarting the heater also solves the problem.
Another common problem arises in electric and gas water heaters when the dip tube has broken off inside the tank. This allows the mixing of cold and hot water, as a result of which your tub faucet gives no hot water. Just keep an eye on this and see what part of your heater is faulty for timely maintenance.
4. Hard Water Accumulation
Hard water means water with a high amount of dissolved minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium. This hard water causes several bathroom-related issues, out of which hot water blockages are on the top – do you know why?
When heated, these minerals form a white, chalky film that covers the water heater’s heating elements.
In the worst scenario, this chalky film completely blocks heat transfer to the water, and the bathtub is filled only with cold water.
How to fix it: Hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet
The hard water issue in bathtubs looks minor but needs your special attention and careful consideration. After all, it leads to hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet.
The first option is to disassemble the heating elements, faucets and valves – clean them with a soft cloth and assemble them the same way. It may take your time and is laborious. The permanent solution is to use a water softener system in your bathroom.
This water softener system is a technology that works to remove minerals from water. It removes calcium and magnesium that cause chalky film in the heating system. As a result, water flows smoothly, and your bathtub faucet gives hot water.
You can either choose an ion exchange water softener or a salt-free system. Both work well to deal with water-hardiness issues.
5. Heater is too small
If hot water doesn’t come out of your bathtub faucet, then think about your water heater size. Does it match your requirements? Sometimes, water heaters need to be bigger to fulfill hot water desires. They either give lukewarm water or become malfunctioned for heavy loads. This is one of the most overlooked reasons for the hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet.
How to fix it:
The best way to fix this small-sized heater problem is to update with a new and bigger one. It may cost a little, but your hot water supply will continue.
You can also check the thermostat to see if it is set properly. If not, adjust it to the point you want.
6. Defective Faucet or Valve
Sometimes, the hot water supply to the whole house works fine, but you don’t get water in the bathtub. It means the tub faucet is the main culprit, and something is broken between the stem and the seat of the valve that is responsible for water flow.
If you have individual hot and cold faucets, you can check them by testing if only the cold water faucet is working.
In another case, the faucet may work fine but have a faulty valve. So, figure out the root cause and then move on to its solution, as guided in the next section. This is sometimes an overlooked reason for hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet.
How to fix it:
If your faucet is faulty, then only solution is its replacement with a new one. Start by removing it with an appropriate size wrench from the set up, and do not forget to turn off the water supply. Carefully measure the hole where the faucet was installed and purchase a new one that corresponds to the old one.
Secondly, if you want to inspect the valve condition, turn off the water supply, remove the handle, and proceed to either unscrew the nut or pull out the pin to free the valve. After checking the valve condition, decide whether it needs replacement or simple cleaning that will help water flow in the bathtub.
7. Pipe Leakage
Pipe leakage is common in water system that leads to little to no hot water in the bathtub. If there is a leak in your bathtub pipe, figure it out by inspecting nearby areas. You can notice stains on the ceiling or crawl space below the tub. Also, it will lead to hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet.
How to fix it:
If you have traced a leaky pipe in your bathtub, remove it carefully and replace it with a new piece. Temporarily, you can use rubber tape to solve the problem instantly. Just turn the water supply off and wrap the tape around the defective pipe to help make a seal.
8. Plumbing Crossover Problem:
The plumbing cross over problem is different and technical from the others. In this issue, there is no breakage, physical obstruction, or leakage in the pipe. The heating system also works perfectly fine; still bathtub faucet gives no hot water. Here, the problem arises when the valve allows too much cold water to mix with the hot water. Remember, hot water is there, but excess cold water supply proves problematic.
How to fix it:
The temporary solution to fixing hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet is to restrict the cold water supply to make the water hotter. Hiring a professional to replace the mixing valve can help permanently get rid of this issue. A professional will always be able to fix hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet.
9. Harsh Winter
If you live in an extremely cold area, then there is nothing new to get no hot water in the bathtub faucet. Harsh winter can overcome the water heating system, especially when there is a lack of arrangements to tackle this situation.
How to fix it: Hot Water Not Coming Out of Bathtub Faucet
You cannot physically deal with weather extremes, but make it easy with proper setup. Your house must be sealed to restrict the impact of extreme cold. Plus, ensure there is a heating system at your place to keep the temperature normal and water flowing in the pipes.
Conclusion – Hot Water not coming out of Bathtub Faucet
Finally, you have all the reasons for hot water not coming out of bathtub faucet with their solutions. Start from the basic and go advance. You will find out what’s wrong with your setup that is causing this issue.
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