How To Make Sure the Shower Temperature Stays Constant

Valve Replacement

• Before undertaking expensive plumbing repairs or replacing your water heater, check the shower valve. The rubber parts of an old shower valve deteriorate over time. Bits of rubber may break off and clog the hot water supply, resulting in less hot water and an uncomfortably cool shower. Replacing the valve may restore an ample supply of hot water to the shower head.

Water Heater

• If you’re not getting as much hot water as you used to get, the problem could be in the water heater. Hard water increases lime buildup in the heater, resulting in reduced efficiency. Draining and flushing out the water heater removes sediment that’s causing the problem. Installing a water softener on the water supply line reduces future hard water buildup and increases the life of your water heater.

On-Demand Hot Water

• On-demand systems, also called tankless water heaters, do not store hot water so you won’t run out during your shower. These units promise to reduce your energy bill because they don’t require power to keep the water in the tank hot at all times. Instead, when you turn on the faucet, the flow of the water activates the heating process, which continues as long as you stay in the shower.

PEX System

• If you’re in the market for a new water supply system, consider a cross-linked polyethylene, or PEX, system. A PEX system features a central water distribution panel and separate red and blue -- hot and cold -- water supply tubes that lead from the distribution panel to each fixture in the house. A PEX system eliminates the problem of water temperature fluctuations because turning on a dishwasher or flushing a toilet no longer interferes with the hot or cold water supply running to the shower.