Living with a hot-tempered showerhead
Q. My shower is a pain in the neck; in fact, it's a hot or cold pain in the neck! Every time I use it, I hope no one flushes the toilet or runs the washing machine. If they do, the shower becomes scalding hot or freezing cold. I had the same problem with my last house, but that was because the old steel pipes were filled with rust. This is a much newer home with copper water pipes. Copper does not rust, so what could be causing this problem?
A. Unwanted shower shifting is a common grievance. For many years, the primary cause of temperature fluctuations in showers was hardening of the galvanized steel arteries, as you experienced in your previous home. In the 1970s, when copper piping became the material of choice, this problem largely disappeared, except in older homes with obsolete plumbing. The problem, however, has returned in recent years with the advent of water-saver showerheads.
New ways of conserving water are essential, but they can bring unintended side effect in showers. Here is why. A water-saver showerhead is equipped with a simple flow-restricting device: a metal washer with a small hole in the center. A limited amount of water can pass through this small hole; hence the reduction in water use. But here is the downside. When a toilet is flushed or a garden hose is turned on, these other fixtures have no flow restrictors. They become the path of least resistance for the cold water. It is easier for the water to flow into the toilet tank or yard faucet than through the restrictive showerhead. Therefore, the cold-water flow at the shower is reduced, while the hot water flow remains the same. The net result is a hotter shower. If hot water is turned on at another fixture, such as a dishwasher, the shower likewise turns cold.
To avoid this rude epidermal assault, newer shower control valves are designed to maintain a balanced flow of hot and cold water when other plumbing devices are being used. Your choice, therefore, is simple: You can have a plumber install a new shower valve, or you can establish a mutual agreement with family members to avoid using plumbing fixtures while someone is in the shower.
A third option is to remove the flow restrictor from the showerhead, but that would eliminate the water-saving feature.
Q. Last week, I was reviewing an old home inspection report that was prepared when I purchased my house. One item that caught my attention was a comment about 20-amp circuits in the main electrical panel. I've had to reset the circuit breakers on numerous occasions and have noticed that all of the breakers are labeled "15 amps." How can a home inspector make such an obvious mistake?
A. It may be that your electrical system is wired with 20-amp circuit wiring, even though the breakers are rated at 15 amps. This would be an unusual electrical installation, probably not the work of a qualified electrician, and might account for the frequent tripping of your breakers. You should have your service panel evaluated by a licensed electrician. If the wires are in fact rated for 20-amp capacity, changing to 20-amp breakers should eliminate the tripping.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
© 2018, Action Coast Publishing