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Tub hot water does not Flow at all (details enclosed)

3K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  butlersprints 
#1 ·
Hopefully someone can help me. The hot water knob for the tub didn't work this morning. No water came out, not even a noise. The cold water knob lets cold water come out fine. There are three knobs on the tub, one cold one hot, and a center knob to let water into the shower. All other bathrooms in the house work fine, both hot and cold, kitchen as well.

I read something about balanced pressure and let the cold water run for about 2 minutes in the kitchen sink, tub water still not working.

The boiler (is newer) and seems to be working fine in other areas of the house. No valves had been manually closed since this has happened. However the outside temp did drop to around -5, but the house maintained around 50-60.

I read somewhere that a gasket may be clogged, but I have no real plumbing experience. Any troubleshooting ideas would be greatly appreciated, and I promise to post back when the solution is found-as I have found other posts with this problem, yet the posting suddenly ends. Hopefully there's no spontaneous combustion associated here.

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
Hopefully someone can help me. The hot water knob for the tub didn't work this morning. No water came out, not even a noise. The cold water knob lets cold water come out fine. There are three knobs on the tub, one cold one hot, and a center knob to let water into the shower. All other bathrooms in the house work fine, both hot and cold, kitchen as well.

I read something about balanced pressure and let the cold water run for about 2 minutes in the kitchen sink, tub water still not working.

The boiler (is newer) and seems to be working fine in other areas of the house. No valves had been manually closed since this has happened. However the outside temp did drop to around -5, but the house maintained around 50-60.
I read somewhere that a gasket may be clogged, but I have no real plumbing experience. Any troubleshooting ideas would be greatly appreciated, and I promise to post back when the solution is found-as I have found other posts with this problem, yet the posting suddenly ends. Hopefully there's no spontaneous combustion associated here.

Thanks in advance.
sounds like a frozen pipe.(-5) It doesn't take long to freeze 1/2" pipe closed. check area for proper insulation / heat. Hot water freezes faster than cold
 
#3 ·
city water? well water? crawl space? basement? need more input. when we drop that low, our main inlet freezes under the floor in our crawl space unless we let it drip all night. IF it actually DOES freeze though, i have an old style hair dryer hooked up to it that we turn on for a minute and it thaws right out.

DM
 
#4 ·
The details: There is a basement which contains all the plumbing and hot water heater. It is heated, I even temped it this morning and it came out 52 degrees right by all the piping. I will try the hairdryer method after work just to be sure to try everything.

All other water in the house works, hot water and cold water, it seems odd that only one pipe would freeze (however, I will not deny this as a possibility until I try the hairdryer)

There's not even a noise when the knob is turned. Can knobs go bad? -The inside, as I know it is not stripped where the actual knob is screwed in.

Also, the hot water in the kitchen sink (right across the wall from the tub) seems to have more hot water pressure than usual. When turned to hot water there's more pressure than when running cold water. Probably doesn't help, but thought I'd throw it in.
 
#5 ·
The details: There is a basement which contains all the plumbing and hot water heater. It is heated, I even temped it this morning and it came out 52 degrees right by all the piping. I will try the hairdryer method after work just to be sure to try everything.

All other water in the house works, hot water and cold water, it seems odd that only one pipe would freeze (however, I will not deny this as a possibility until I try the hairdryer)

There's not even a noise when the knob is turned. Can knobs go bad? -The inside, as I know it is not stripped where the actual knob is screwed in.

Also, the hot water in the kitchen sink (right across the wall from the tub) seems to have more hot water pressure than usual. When turned to hot water there's more pressure than when running cold water. Probably doesn't help, but thought I'd throw it in.
Typically, when a faucet has issues it will drip, not stop letting water out. Is the tub on an outside wall? The temps in the room and basement may not be the area of freezing, It could be inside the wall(not as warm as in room). Also do you have Galvinized, Copper, Plastic, or a mix of more than one? Galvinized & Copper do not do well togather & will corode inside and out.(check that as a cause) Also ask any others in the home if maybe a shut off valve was turned off for one reason or another. Another question, Is tub the last item on hot line coming from hot water heater? perhaps some sludge from waterheater has clogged the line or handle.
 
#6 · (Edited)
The tub is by an outside wall, and the hot water knob is the closest. Very very possible that it has froze. I hadn't really thought about it like that.

However, I did place the temp gauge right by the pipes leading up to the tub and waited for it to steady. Of course the heater may have just turned on.

I'll get out the hair dryer when I get home tonight.

The piping all looks to be copper. Luckily we started tearing down walls and rebuilding the basement so I have instant access to all the piping from the heater to the tub. I'll have to check where on the line the tub water is fromt he hot water pipes.
 
#7 ·
Well, it was frozen. Just above the retaining wall the outside of the house reaches a few inches further out where the hot water pipe for the shower is located. No insulation.

Good call everybody, so glad I didn't have to take it all apart.

CHEERS!
 
#8 ·
Well, it was frozen. Just above the retaining wall the outside of the house reaches a few inches further out where the hot water pipe for the shower is located. No insulation.

Good call everybody, so glad I didn't have to take it all apart.

CHEERS!
Keep an eye on the area , just to make sure no damage to pipe.(expansion from freezing) then insulate!:thumbup:
 
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