Hot water pressure low in shower

[notaplumber01]

My son has a newer home, 2 years old as of November 2012. Lives in an area that has very hard salty tasting water. This particular shower hardly gets used. Was working 3 months ago now when turning on shower you don't get a hot shower. If you run water in tub the pressure for hot water is very low, you have to run the water at a luke warm temp in order to shower. Water in both sinks runs very hot. Any suggestions?

 

[phishfood]

It sounds as though there might be a mineral or sediment buildup in the cartridge. Try removing the handle and cover plate, then the cartridge. Make sure the pressure balancing piston is moving back and forth freely when you shake it. If not, maybe a soak in vinegar might free it up.

If you get stuck, post up a picture of what is giving you problems.

BTW, make sure you shut off the water supply before you start disassembly.

 

[johnjh2o]

I can almost bet it's a Moen balance pressure shower valve. You need to replace the stem. Moen stems are none to have the balancing spool freeze up if not used for a extended period. This is one of the reasons we stoped using Moen and went to Delta.
If you call Moen's 800# they will send you a new stem free of charge.

John

 

[angelina]

Some typical problems that can lead to low water pressure are:

# Pressure regulators
# Elevation
# Home valves
# Water leaks
# Peak periods
# Mineral deposits
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