Why Is My Home's Water So Cold?

If you can never get a hot shower, your home might have some common water heating problems. While some of these issues are easy enough to fix, others can cause your water heater to need serious repairs, especially when problems are left unchecked for too long. When your home’s water is almost always cold, you’ll likely want to know more about common water heating problems and some solutions for fixing them.

7 Common Home Water Heating Problems

As you try to fix the issue behind your home’s lack of hot water, you should begin by diagnosing the issue. Find out more about the 7 most common home water heating problems below:

Problem 1: Too many appliances using hot water

If you have too many appliances pulling hot water to them, you can experience colder water. For example, if you have a washing machine, dishwasher, and shower running at the same time, you may run out of hot water faster. Since your water tank can only store so much hot water at one time, check if you’re using too many appliances at one time to see if that’s the culprit for consistently cold water.

Problem 2: Wrong temperature settings

Water heaters rely on built-in thermostats to keep the water temperature at the right level. Sometimes, water heater thermostats can be set too low, and all you’ll need to do is raise the temperature slightly to receive warmer water throughout the day. Keep in mind, you shouldn’t ever set your water heater’s thermostat above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, as this temperature could cause burns.

Problem 3: Leaks in your hot water tank

Your home relies on a hot water tank to hold your hot water and keep it warm. When you can’t ever get hot water at your home, your hot water tank might have a leak. Usually, you can tell if you have a leak if you find lots of water around your water tank. A leak is something you’ll want to repair fast, as it can cause you to waste a lot of water and have higher water bills.

Problem 4: Pilot light outage

If you have a gas water heater and you’re only getting cold water, you’ll want to check the heater’s pilot light. When a pilot light goes out, your water heater won't ignite the gas responsible for heating the water. You can reignite the flame by following your model’s instructions, with newer models usually featuring ignitors and older models requiring a match. You’ll want to pay attention to your pilot light over the summer, as it’s more likely to go out in warmer conditions.

Problem 5: Small water heater tank

Homes with smaller water tanks can often experience issues with cold water. While a small water tank might give you a hot shower at the beginning of the day, it can quickly run out of hot water as more people use the shower, wash their hands, or use other appliances. In this case, it’s best to consult with a professional if you need a new water heater.

Problem 6: Frozen pipes

Over the winter, your pipes can freeze when they’re exposed to freezing conditions over prolonged periods. Frozen pipes can end up causing your home to only give you cold water, and these pipes can even burst if no one thaws them out.

Problem 7: Broken heating elements

If you have an electric water heater, one of the heating elements can go bad, causing the water to not heat. Usually, electric water heaters have heating elements at the tank’s bottom and top. When an upper heater element goes bad, your tank will only give you cold water, and when your lower heater element breaks down, you’ll receive a little bit of hot water, but not much.

How to Solve Common Water Heating Problems

When you have too many appliances using hot water or have too small of a water tank, you can usually solve the issue by purchasing a higher-capacity water tank or creating a schedule where you ration out your hot water usage throughout the day. If you decide you need a larger water heating tank or opt for a tankless option, you’ll want to turn to a professional who can inspect your system and help you pick the right one for your home’s needs.

For other common problems, such as frozen pipes, water tank leaks, and broken heating elements, you’ll want to turn to a professional who can conduct the repair safely and correctly. Since you don’t want to damage your system more, it’s critical to have a professional inspect your system and perform the needed repairs.

Sometimes, you may not be able to identify the issue. In this case, a professional inspection is in order. A proper inspection can help discover any potential issues, with the professional also providing the needed water heater repairs.

Choose Newcomb and Company for Water Heater Repair and Replacement Services in Raleigh

When you need water heater repair or replacement services in Raleigh, turn to Newcomb and Company. We can inspect your system and make repairs fast to ensure you have hot water again as fast as possible. Our plumbing services also include water heater replacement, meaning we’ll help you pick the perfect replacement option and install it for you. Additionally, our team can look over your water heater settings to ensure they’re at the optimal level for your needs.