There’s no annoying issue to any homeowner, like having no water in the shower but sinks are fine. What do you do to solve this plumbing problem? You should check the shower head, faucet valve, supply lines, water tank, or anode rod to gauge which one is faulty.
Doing a plumbing self-check helps you know if you can solve the problem using the available tools. This means you don’t need to call a professional plumber whenever you have a water issue, which helps minimize maintenance costs.
Reasons Why Your Shower Is Not Working
While leaks are the major causes of water not flowing to your shower, let’s thin down on the other causes.
A Faulty Anode Rod
An anode rod is a metal tube screwed to the top of your water tank heater. The primary use of the anode rod is to absorb any oxidizing elements that can lead to the buildup of rust in the tank.
Soft water corrodes the anode rod faster than hard water. A faulty anode rod should be replaced as soon as possible as it may lead to rusty-colored or foul-smelling water.
Damaged Shower Faucet Valve
The shower valve plays a vital role in controlling your shower’s water flow and temperature. A broken faucet valve can reduce the water pressure and thus cause the incapacity of delivering water to the shower. Moreover, rust buildup in the shower valve also makes it faulty.
Additionally, you may sometimes wonder why your shower handle produces awkward noises or seems to get stuck. The answer is simple; your shower valves are faulty.
Another thing that is ignored but may be the cause of no water flow to your shower is the supply valve. The valve is positioned below your bathroom sink or floor. Due to the water supply valve location, getting bumped into when cleaning and getting turned off is easier.
Clogged or frozen water Supply Lines
Over time, hard water minerals build themselves around the water pipes’ inner sides, leading to low pressure. But when there is no water from the shower, the pipes supplying water to the shower are clogged.
Living in extremely cold places might freeze the water pipes in some parts of your house. And so you must look out for frozen pipes and thaw them.
Clogged Water Tank
The dirt and mineral buildup in the pipes usually find their way to settle in the tank. High or Inconsistent water pressures flowing to the tank and pipes are the major cause of leaks. Luckily, leaks are easy to notice by observing where to find a pool of water.
Leaks tend to cause more water wastage than you might see or think. As a cautionary measure, water leaks should be fixed quickly to prevent you from incurring high bills.
Faulty Shower Head
Dirt deposits, mineral deposits from water, and rust buildup clog the showerhead and prevent water from getting through. Besides that, your showerhead might be too old and require replacement. There might also be leaks from the joints between the shower head and arm.
Another cause of a faulty showerhead is the filter screen. Remove the filter screen and follow the shower head manual to find the instructions on how to clean it.
Potential Solutions
You must check whether all the water supply lines and shower parts are okay before you continue with fixing the problem. Therefore, any faulty parts should be replaced or repaired in real time. This is just an extra caution to arm yourself against future occurrences.
Here are some actions to help you counter the above issues.
Examine shower head
Old, rusty, or clogged shower heads need cleaning. You can clean the showerhead by using recommended cleaning agents like white vinegar.
To start, detach the showerhead from the shower pipe by twisting it around. After that, kindly examine the connecting pipe and the shower head for any faults.
To clean, submerge the showerhead in vinegar overnight. This will clear away the buildup and boost the water flow. Once done, twist your showerhead back onto the water supply pipe.
If the showerhead is not entirely sealed, wrap Teflon tape around the shower arm 2 to 3 times. If this doesn’t fix the leakage, replace the shower head.
Check the water pipes/valves
An improperly positioned valve can be removed and fixed well, while a worn-out or broken one has to be replaced. Professional plumbers can remove the mineral buildups that cause clogging in the valves or water pipes.
Also, check the water pipes for any leakages and determine whether they can be fixed or need replacement. Some pipes may leak water through the conjoined places or corners, while others might be broken.
Notably, every single water device has a valve delivering water. So, check if the water supply valve below the sink or bathroom floor has been turned off and put it on.
Fix the anode rod
Do you know that postponing replacing your water heaters anode rod will make it fail in the long run? This will also cause damage to the inner components of the water tank as it has a crucial role in preventing rust.
Clean the clogged tank
A clogged water tank means little or no supply of water from it. But you don’t need to worry, as the mentioned buildups can be removed and cleaned by professionals licensed to repair water heater tanks.
Fixing the shower valve
Replace the shower valve and its rubber ring if it’s broken or corroded. This is an easy DIY project, as no plumbing expertise might be required.
A worn-out valve ring can easily be replaced. On the contrary, if the valve cartridge is damaged, the whole valve must be replaced.
As much as you try to find out why there’s no water in the shower but sinks are fine, you should know your house’s plumbing system. This helps you determine the possible causes and gauge if you can fix it or call a plumber. Always turn off the house water supply in case of leaks before fixing any other plumbing parts.