There is nothing more annoying that getting into the shower and finding that it is cold!
Well …. perhaps getting in and finding that it goes cold after a while is even worse!
If it’s an electric shower, firstly check that there is a light on at the switch, showing that you do have power to it, and check that it doesn’t have a ‘low pressure’ light on. If no power, check the consumer unit (fuse box) to se whether the trip has tripped-out. Low pressure will often remedy itself as the pressure in the street improves.
Electric showers can also leak – very often from the safety release underneath. This can be replaced.
Other faults will require an engineer’s visit – and where the shower is older, often result in a new shower unit. Call us to talk about the problem.
The majority of non-electric showers have valves, working on the house supplies from the cylinder and tank. Often these have filters which can block and can be cleaned. They also have cartridges which regulate both water flow and temperature. These can fail and will need professional attention.
Another frequent cause of shower issues is an airlock in the supply pipework. This is usually readily remedied and will just affect either the hot or the cold. Make sure that all the taps nearby are working and if not, an airlock may well be the cause of the problem. If there appears to be an airlock and you have a mixer tap (both hot and cold coming out of the same part), try putting the palm of a hand over the outlet – firmly – and turning on both hot and cold water. This often sends water back up the pipe to drive the air out of the system. Beware, it’s easy to get wet doing this!
We often find that shower problems are due to the hose having collapsed inside – or just considerable limescale on the shower head. Try taking the hose of the shower valve (or electric shower unit) and see if it runs without the hose and head.
Installing showers can be difficult. We find that many of the shower faults we look at are due to incorrect installation. As always, just call if you have a problem.
Based in Emsworth near Havant we cover southern parts of Hampshire and West Sussex. Get in touch here, or call us on 01243 370880.