Hot water in toilet

[alienone]

I just bought a 2 year old condo which flushes hot (i mean really hot) water into the toilet. In that same bathroom there's a bathtub/shower with a single lever faucet which has hot/cold water reversed. The single lever faucet in the sink works as it should. I am not overly concerned with the bathtub faucet but the toilet is of concern. I dread to have this looked into in case the problem is caused by having the hot water pipe actually connected to the toilet instead of the cold one as this would mean tearing up walls. The condo has a recirculating water system that is used for both heating and personal. Is it possible that the issue is caused by the bathtub faucet cartridge being installed incorrectly? Is there any other potential explanation for the problem other than the hot/cold pipes being reversed? Many thanks to anyone who can help. Alie
btw, i know the cost will likely be covered by the builder, my concern is the disruption that the repair will cause if the lines are in fact crossed.

 

[IFIXH20]

If the reverse issue is one toilet & shower and not through out the entire unit. The toilet line is reversed, The tub line could be reversed or the valve cartridge is reversed. If the builder will take care of it just have them do it. If the toilet sets next to the vanity cap the toilet water line and branch off the cold line in the vanity to feed the toilet -- No wall access needed.

 

[alienone]

Thank you IFIXH20. Yes, the issue is one toilet and shower. To clarify, are you saying the toilet line is definitely reversed or could the reversed cartridge cause hot water in the toilet? yes, the toilet is next to the vanity which does have cold and hot water pipes for the sink but those go inside the wall. The pipe supplying the toilet comes out of the wall a couple of feet away. In other words all the supply pipes are buried in the wall. Are you saying they can just run another pipe from under the sink outside the wall? I guess that would do it but it would be ugly

 

[IFIXH20]

Sounds like the toilet is on hot water. If the toilet is between the tub and vanity a stop (shutoff valve) can be install on the side of the vanity. Then use a long supply line to connect the toilet. I only say this because you do not want to open walls.

 

[alienone]

Thanks again. Sounds like your recommendation would be going to the source and fixing it properly. I am beginning to get used to the idea of the wall coming down especially if the hot/cold reversed lines in the bathtub would be addressed as well. Would you be able to offer an idea of how long the work would take if the wall had to be opened up? I'd hate to be without water for several days.

 

[Matt30]

At most...should be a day's work but I haven't saw your set up. If the work carries over a few days, a good plumber will install valves so you still have water to the rest of your home.

 

[alienone]

Thanks Matt. If I could only get a good plumber

 

[frodo]

Thanks again. Sounds like your recommendation would be going to the source and fixing it properly. I am beginning to get used to the idea of the wall coming down especially if the hot/cold reversed lines in the bathtub would be addressed as well. Would you be able to offer an idea of how long the work would take if the wall had to be opened up? I'd hate to be without water for several days.

i think he was refering to this http://screencast.com/t/uNaPhVEdpqt1

under the sink cabinet, on the cold water pipe sticking out of the wall.

run a new 3/8'' chrome supply line to your toilet..if done with tubing benders

the correct size hole in cabinet,,with a eschtion [sp] it will not look bad at all

 

[alienone]

Thanks for the pic, something i might show the plumber if needed although maybe it would mean trouble if he didn't know about it I guess you mean the small circle that covers the hole? found something called Escutcheon..it would mean a visible pipe running 1-2 feet to the the toilet. I would have to think about that. Thank you all for your help!

 

[frodo]

i just re read your post/

if the builder is paying..open the wall,,do it right,

or rather,,make it right.

 

[Mr_David]

you might all me wrong. if you have a Moen tub/showervalve and the system is on a recirculation hot system you could possibly have a bad moen core.
disconnect the toilet supply and run it into a bucket. see if the water eventually turns cold. or shut off the hot water system. open a 2 handle faucet somewhere and drain/relieve the hot pressure. if the water is still flowing from the hot only 2handle fixture then you have a cross over problem some where.

if the hot water flow stops. check the toilet to see if it has water coming onto it. The sink you says seems right might just be crossed with the supplies.
If hot system is off, hot faucet on 2handle is open and water is still flowing put your ear on the shower valve and listen for water passing through it.

I would do that before you start modifying the piping.

 

[frodo]

distinct possibility. the plot thickens!!!!

 

[Mr_David]

distinct possibility. the plot thickens!!!!

Frodo! You're up late! Can't sleep? I can't either.
Must of been that ice cream bar I eat.

 

[alienone]

Yes I was told it is a recirculation system. The all faucets are single lever American Standard. Can I do the same test with single lever faucet? Would a competent plumber think of testing all this before he knocked down the wall? yes, the sink is fine and has colour coded piping, red on the left, blue on the right. Could I just shut off the hot water, flush the toilet, and if no water is coming in would that then mean that it is in fact connected to hot? Sigh

 

[Zeppelin5000]

We had the same issue in a building here on base with a group of 6 or so toilets. We eventually traced it to an old gang shower with bad mixing valves. The hot water was seeping into the cold and heating the cold water in the lines. As a test, I would keep flushing a toilet (flushometer style) and the water would eventually turn cold, flushing out the hot water. So that showed the cold was being heated by the hot. We ended up taking out that old gang shower and capped the lines. Solved the problem. Sounds like you might have a similar issue with your shower mixing valve...

 

[alienone]

Thanks Zeppelin but that doesn't sound like a mix, it's way too hot. 3 flushes still produce hot but then there's always a time gap between the fills. I'm worried about doing this for too long as it might melt the wax ring. Since the shower has hot and cold reversed I was thinking maybe that is screwing up something but don't understand enough about how this whole thing works to assess if that might be the cause or if they simply connected the toilet to hot and then continued on to the shower with reversed pipes.

 

[frodo]

not knowing he lay out of your house,,,

if the tub is to the left of the toilet ,,as your looking at the toilet. the water line ties into the tub

if the tub is to the right of the toilet, as your look at toilet, the water line ties into the lav



you can pretty much bet on it...

 

[alienone]

Thanks Frodo. The scenario on the right is what I have, sink, toilet, tub. But...what does this mean? that the sink water pipe goes to the toilet as well and the bathtub has a separate connection? If that is the case, does this mean that I have two separate issues: one with the toilet which is hooked up to hot water and another one with the tub which has the lines or cartridge reversed?

 

[phishfood]

Start by shutting off the hot water, and checking the toilet to see if it refills. If it doesn't, then it is connected to the hot water, and you don't have to worry about the rest of the possible scenarios. Keep it simple, and eliminate the easy possibilities first.

 

[alienone]

Thanks phishfood, that makes sense