Skip to content
reviews

100% Money Back Guarantee

Flexible Payment Plans

Free UK Mainland Delivery
  • ‹
  • Blog

Why does your shower go hot and cold?

Why does your shower go hot and cold?

By Benjamin Clarke | Published on 5th July 2022

When you get in the shower, you want it to be a painless and trouble-free experience. You might be in a rush to get to work or you might be relaxing in the shower at the end of a long day. Whatever the motivation for your shower, you certainly don't want that horrible experience of the water fluctuating in temperature and suddenly switching back and forth between to hot and too cold.

In this article we'll look at some different scenarios and discuss what might be causing your shower to vary in temperature and run from hot to cold.

Comb boiler issues

Central heating pipes

Central heating systems with a gas-fired combi boiler are one of the most popular heating setups in the UK. Combi boilers are so popular because they can heat up water on demand and provide it to heating systems or hot water outlets (showers, taps) very quickly and efficiently. They can do this without it being necessary to have a large hot water tank in an airing cupboard, like older conventional boilers.

If you have a combi boiler and your shower is running hot and cold, it might be that someone else in the house is also using a hot water outlet (like a tap or another shower) at the same time as you. This would cause the two places where hot water is required to be competing with each other and the boiler is not able to provide enough hot water quickly enough to satisfy demand. A simple way to solve this is to establish a rule in your household that no other taps should be tuned on while someone is in the shower.

More seriously, if your water keeps running cold and you're not competing with another hot water source, then it could be a sign that your combi boiler has developed a fault and is not functioning properly. This is a very frustrating problem and will really impact your ability to have an enjoyable shower. Faulty boilers need to be looked at by a professional as soon as possible to prevent them from developing more dangerous issues such as leaking carbon monoxide.

Faulty mixer valve

A thermostatic shower valve

Thermostatic mixer valves are an increasingly popular component of a modern bathroom. The reason is because they provide a consistent water temperature being delivered through your shower head. They provide a nice alternative to the more old school set up of trying to get the right mix of hot and cold using your taps. Thermostatic mixer valves are also safer because the also help to avoid the scorching heat or the shocking cold that can often come through on an over-tap shower if someone switches on a tap elsewhere in the house.

However, if the thermostatic mixer valve develops a fault then the right mixture of hot and cold water to get your ideal temperature will be knocked out of balance. Just like the issue this type of valve is supposed to prevent, someone using hot or cold water elsewhere in your home may well affect the temperature in your shower causing it to fluctuate. If you do think you've got a faulty thermostatic mixer valve then call in a plumber as this is a fairly complex problem to sort out your self.

Electric shower issues

An electric shower

Water running hot and cold is a problem that can commonly affect electric showers despite the fact that there's no boilers or water tanks involved in an electrical system.

Hot and cold water can often be caused by an issue with the water pressure in an electric showering system. It might be that limescale has built up in your system and pipework and is narrowing the route through which the water travels.

Sometimes it could be an issue with the water pressure coming into your home, while it may also be caused by a build up of debris in the valve that needs unblocking.

It could also be that your shower has developed an electrical fault in which case you must get a qualified electrician in to fix the problem and make the shower safe.

Call in a professional

If in doubt about what is causing your shower to run hot and cold, the best thing is to call in a professional without delay. They will be able to get to the heart of this frustrating issue and possibly nip and other problems in the bud before they become more serious.

Having a nice shower should be one of life's pleasures and you should not be getting into the shower worrying about whether you will get scalded or frozen by inconsistent water temperatures.

Quality showering at LunaSpas.com

Bath filler taps and shower

Luna Spas offer a wide variety of bath filler valves (also referred to as taps), to suit all bathroom interiors. Whether you are looking for stylish taps which fit nicely on top of your tub or a single tap to conveniently take pride of place on your wall, Luna Spas has you covered with a small range of top quality products.

We understand that when you are looking for quality bath filler valves the look and design of them plays an incredibly important part in your final decision. After all, you want to make sure that the taps you choose will match the décor of your bathroom. With that in mind, our team tries to supply as many exceptional designs as possible, so you will be spoilt for choice and can find exactly what you’re looking for.

See all our valves & brassware

RELATED ARTICLES

• Difference between power shower & electric shower

• How to increase water pressure in your shower

• How to replace a thermostatic shower valve

Go Back

Related Posts

Sign up to the newsletter

Get the latest product news and offers (you can unsubscribe at any time). Please see our Privacy Policy for details on how we look after your data.