cold water is warm

Malinda

We bought this house 3 yrs ago and never had a problem with the water. But now our cold water faucets all give us warm water instead of cold. This happens from all of our faucets even outside. What can be the problem ?

Homerepairguy

Sounds like your hot water line has sprung a leak underground. When that happens, hot water saturates the ground. Since the cold water line usually runs in parallel with the hot water line, it gets heated and gives warm water for a while and then gets cold.

To verify whether the hot water line is leaking, do this:

1. Open a cold water faucet.

2. Look at your water meter. There should be a water movement indicator on it that's spinning like crazy.

3. Turn off the cold water faucet.

4. Note the position of the water movement indicator. It should not be moving.

5. Don't let anyone use any water or flush a toilet. Check the water movement indicator in 30 minutes. Has it moved?

6. If it moved, verify that you don't have any leaking faucets or toilet valves. If you do, repair every one of them.

7. Perform steps 4 and 5 again. If the water movement indicator moves in 30 minutes, there's an underground leak in either the hot or cold line.

8. To determine whether the leak is in the hot or cold line, do this: Shut off the cold water valve that is feeding your water heater. It's usually right above the heater. This will eliminate any hot water leaks from the output of the heater to your fixtures.

9. If the water movement indicator stops moving, you have a hot water leak. If the indicator still moves, you have a cold water leak.

HRG

ben's plumbing

do you have single control faucets.....?????

Malinda

What are single control faucets ? If you mean where there is just a single spout with the 2 controlling handles the hot and the cold then I guess they're not single control but dual. Well we do have one that is single control the one in the kitchen. But they all do the same thing with the water.

oh'mike

Sounds like 'crossover' caused by a single handle faucet that is capped and open--

Hot and cold can mix when that happens--see if you have a shower that has a spray head turned off and the water turned on---

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

ben's plumbing

mike is going in my direction..thinking of maybe a crossover....happens on single control faucets...mostly shower...

oh'mike

I knew that was your thought---that has happened to every plumber I have known--once---

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

gregzoll

Happens to everyone during Summers like this. The ground has warmed up so much, that even below the frost line it is warmer than expected. Everyone's potable water is going to be warmer. Guess what, come Winter it will be cold again, once these high 90, 100 degree days go away, and the ground has time to cool off.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button?
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: So what'll happen?
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?

gregzoll

That is a line of you know what, if I have ever heard one. It is because of the super hot days we have had. This happens any time there has been enough consecutive hot days to warm up the ground so much, that anything within six feet like water lines, will be warm.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button?
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: So what'll happen?
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?

Homerepairguy

Greg,

You and Ben (since he thanked you for your rude post) don't know as much as you think you do.

What I stated was from personal experience. Our hot water line sprung a leak under our home's concrete slab. The only symptom was that our cold water lines in both back-to-back bathrooms ran warm at first and then cold. The procedure I listed was exactly what I used to verify that the hot water line was leaking under the slab. After I bypassed the leak using PEX in the attic, while still using the cold water line under the slab, the cold water in both bathrooms ran cold again and the water meter stopped moving. Our water bill went down too. I've posted several times in the past in this forum about our hot water leak under the slab and running PEX to bypass it.

I think you both need to think before you post. Very rude folks!
HRG

DangerMouse

None of these hypothesies should be considered a load of bull! Until the answer is found and posted, any and ALL theories should be explored as possibilities!
We had HOT water coming from our cold taps once in the middle of the winter! Can any of you tell me why? (and it had NOTHING to do with the water heater!!!) I figured it out! And had a good laugh at myself in the process!

Lighten up you guys, focus on the problem at hand....

DM

__________________
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Click
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
to see some of my original magic tricks and trick boxes!

ben's plumbing

hey guy made a mistake wanted to thank him for his post above that one because I heard something about that when temps rise....even if i did agree with him...I would keep it to myself...look at some other post that I ask others to be careful not to offend others... Iam sorry if my mishap offended you..because it was just that a mishap...thanks...ben......

oh'mike

Now I want to know what made Dangers pipe warm up in the winter----riddles---love a challenge--

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

DangerMouse

It was a real mystery until I realized what was doing it!

DM

__________________
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Click
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
to see some of my original magic tricks and trick boxes!

oh'mike

Well? Take off the tin foil had so I can read your mind!

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--