No Hot Water in Shower – Causes and How to Fix

You have already soaked up yourself all over with soap, and you’re ready to rinse. However, you felt cold because cold water instead of warm water poured from the shower. I’ll discuss the causes and how to fix the no hot water in the shower issue.

The first thing you need to check is whether the shutoff valve is open or close. If it is closed, open the valve, and you will solve your problem. However, if the warm temperature of the water does not stay long enough, perhaps something is blocking or obstructing the pipes, or your shower valve is not working.

If the hot water quickly cools down, there could be a problem with the burner in the water tank. And if there’s no hot water coming from the shower at all, a malfunctioning dip tube could be the culprit.

Read on to learn the many causes why there is no hot water coming out of your shower and their respective fixes.

No Hot Water in Shower

No Hot Water in Shower

Check the Shutoff Valve

If there’s no hot water coming out of your shower, you must check the shutoff valve first. Is it open or close? Opening it will readily solve your problem when the shutoff valve is closed.

Pipe Issues

If the hot water temperature cools down quickly, the pipe could have problems. Perhaps there is something that obstructs or blocks the flow of hot water. It could be a faulty shower valve if that’s not the problem.

Problem with Tank’s Burner

A problem with the burner of the water tank and bad dip tube can also cause this no hot water in the shower. But if there’s hot water in all the faucets in your house except for the bathroom, then you may have faulty shower components.

Aside from these issues, there are still many reasons why the shower in your bathroom cannot provide hot water. The rest of this article will dwell on these causes and their respective fixes.

No Hot Water After Turning Water Back on After Shut Off

No Hot Water in Shower Causes

1. No Electric Power Going to the Water Heater

Check If the Heater Is Getting Power

If there’s no hot water in your bathroom shower, don’t readily assume that there’s a problem with the water heater. Perhaps, it is working fine, but it is not getting electricity from the source. If that is true, it can’t run. So, you need to check if it is getting power.

Inspect the Circuit Breaker

Perhaps, its limit switch had tripped, or someone might have accidentally tripped the on and off switch. So, you need to check the circuit breaker of the water heater. Make sure that it is not on the trip or off position.

2. Blockage in Pipes

If there is no hot water in the bathroom shower, but you can get hot water in the bathroom sink, there is probably a blockage inside the pipe leading to the showerhead. It is also possible that the shower valve is not working.

Call a Professional Plumber

If you are not a professional plumber, you cannot fix this problem. So, if there is no hot water in the shower, but there is hot water in the sink, the best way to solve this problem is to call a professional plumber and ask for their help.

Again, no hot water in the shower – what’s the cause? A faulty mixing valve is one of the possible reasons your household is not getting enough hot water in the shower. The valve’s parts wear out over time, so you must check and replace them.

3. Water Heater Is Not Working

no hot water in shower or sink

No Hot Water in the Shower and Faucets

If there is no hot water in the shower and faucets, this is a problem for the entire house. That means there is no hot water running in all the pipes in your home.

If you have determined that this is the case, then the problem originates from the source of the hot water itself, the water heater.

How to Fix

To fix this issue, follow the steps below:

  • Check the temperature controller of the water heater. See if it is set at the right temperature.
  • Proceed to check the fuse. See if it is still good or if it is already blown. If you have a multi-tester, check for continuity. If there’s none, replace the fuse.
  • Check the pilot light if you have a gas-powered water heater. Suppose it is blown out, re-light it to make it run again. But if it still doesn’t work, check for defective parts, sediment buildup, or obstructions in the plumbing.

4. Overworked Water Heater

If too many people in your house use hot water, you may have an overworking water heater. Perhaps it needs some rest and recovery.

Standard Water Heaters’ Capacity

The capacity of standard water heaters is about 40 gallons. Once used up, it will take time for the water heater to produce more hot water. So, if you have a big household and several members are using hot water simultaneously, you may not get hot water in the shower when you need it.

How to Fix

To fix this issue, you have to adjust your hot water consumption. For instance, you can ask your household members to limit or refrain from using hot water in the sink when someone is taking a shower.

Another solution is to buy a new set of water heaters with a bigger gallon capacity. Or the least you can do is get a bigger water heater tank suitable for your family’s needs.

5. Incorrect Setting of Shower Valve

Each person has their likes and dislikes. Your definition of a hot shower is different from the definition of your wife, your brother, sister, or parents. What is warm water to you is perhaps already hot to the other person.

How to Fix

So, if the other person has adjusted the setting of the shower valve to their liking when it’s your turn to have a hot shower, you will either feel that the water coming from the shower is too hot or too cold. Fixing this problem is just a matter of re-adjusting the setting of the shower valve.

6. Broken Shower Valve

no hot water in shower only

Faulty Installation, Lack of Maintenance, and More

One of the common causes of no hot water in the shower is a bad shower valve. This is due to the improper use of the shower valve, faulty installation, and lack of maintenance. Adjust the shower valve, and if you cannot adjust it, replace it.

Deteriorating Stop Limit

You can find the stop limit inside the valve. The stop limit is a small plastic limiter that prevents the user from exceeding a certain temperature. It also helps in stabilizing the water heater.

The manufacturer designed this adjustable limiter. However, because of the pressure of hot water, it can deteriorate. For instance, it could set up the valve just for low temperatures, preventing it from producing hot water.

How to Fix

You can fix this issue by manually adjusting the temperature setting of the shower valve. You can fix it if you can, but it is best to let the plumber do it. Here is how a plumber will fix this issue:

  • Turn off the water heater.
  • Remove the handle from the faucet.
  • Inside the metal cover, locate the valve stem.
  • Find the Rotational Stop Limit (RSL) of the faucet.
  • From the info from the RSL, manually adjust the limit.
  • Turn it counterclockwise so it can allow more hot water to flow.
  • Re-install the handle and check if the water temperature is already hot.
  • If it is not yet sufficiently hot, just repeat the process until you get the right temperature.

When working on the RSL, the plumber has to let it dry and use only his hands to handle it.

Brittle Washer and O-ring

There is a washer and an O-ring in a shower valve. Over time, these rubber components will lose their flexibility and harden. When that happens, they can break apart. These broken rubber parts will travel through the pipe and lodge in the hot water valve. They will obstruct the flow of hot water and may even destroy parts of the valve.

6. Broken Shower

If there is no hot water in the bathroom, but hot water flows out of every faucet in your house, the problem must be in the shower itself. If you have decent handyman skills, you can fix it yourself. Otherwise, you need to call for a professional plumber to do it.

How to Fix

You should check the showerhead. Check whether it has a damaged part or if the whole showerhead is problematic. Then, fix or replace it, depending on the diagnosis.

Why Is My Hot Water Not Coming Out Hot?

How to Avoid No Hot Water in the Shower Issue

It’s wonderful if you get just the right water temperature every time you take a bath and turn on your shower. To ensure that it always works fine, you need to do your part. How can you avoid the problem of no hot water in the shower?

  1. Be careful in using the shower valve. Don’t close it too tight because you will put undue pressure to the rubber washer and O-ring inside it.
  2. Follow a regular preventive maintenance schedule for your water heater and its plumbing. Check for rusts, dents, leaks, and damages on the tank and the pipes.
  3. Adjust your use of hot water in the shower if your water heater tank is small.
  4. Get a bigger water heater and water tank if you have a growing family.

Conclusion: No Hot Water in Shower

If there’s no hot water in your shower, you need to check the shutoff valve first. Perhaps it is closed. If you open this valve, you can quickly fix this. However, if the warm temperature does not stay that long, there is another problem somewhere.

Perhaps something is blocking or obstructing the inlet pipes, or there is a problem with the shower valve. Thankfully, all the causes of no hot water in the shower have their respective fixes. You can do some of these fixes.

Read next:

Why Is My Apartment Not Getting Hot Water?

Why Is Hot Water Heater Not Getting Hot?