Why Is There No Cold Water In Shower?: Quick Fixes to Resolve

When we open the shower, we may see hot water not coming from it. However, no cold water in the shower happens rarely. So, people freak out seeing no cold water coming from their shower faucets.

As it happens, people must identify the reasons and solutions for it. Also, it is crucial because the reasons for the shower’s cold water absence differ from the reasons for the absence of hot water. The cold water may stop coming from the shower because of a damaged cartridge, inappropriate settings, and problematic water supply lines.

Once you diagnose the problem and find the actual reason, fixing it will be easy.

Why Is There No Cold Water Coming Out of My Shower?

Often, you go underneath the shower after a long office day and turn on the shower to enjoy bathing in its cold water. Suddenly, you see the shower cold water not working appropriately. It can be both horrifying and frustrating for people.

At the first point, the cold water faucet stopped working is rare. So, it will be an awful experience. Secondly, it will frustrate you big times. But why does the cold water shower stop working?

Damaged pressure releasing valve:

The pressure release valve works to balance the water pressure. It helps to trigger cold and hot water supplies in the faucets and valves. However, the pressure release valve may get bad. You will only receive cold water in the shower if it goes right.

Thus, you must inspect the pressure-releasing valve closely. If all other faucets are working correctly with cold water and only the shower isn’t working, then it’s because of the pressure valve. It has gone bad and has become unable to control the water pressure.

So, your shower fails to receive cold water due to inadequate pressure. It happens because the pressure valve fails to regulate water pressure. So, there will be an imbalance between cold and hot water pressures.

Inappropriate shutoff valve:

The shutoff valves are responsible for controlling the water flow. As the shutoff valve works, it will regulate the hot and cold water supplies. Sometimes, you may accidentally turn off the valve for cold water. As it happens, the shower will receive only hot water from the heater.

Many people have reported turning off the cold water supply valve. Then, after hours of inspecting it, they found only the shutoff valve causing the problem.

Inappropriate cartridge installation:

Modern-day showers have cartridges inside the faucet. These cartridges work brilliantly to supply cold and hot water separately to the shower. However, the cartridge may get bad. So, it fails to supply cold water in the showers. The cartridge replacement may go bad to stop the cold water in the bathroom showers.

As it happens, you will experience no cold water in the shower after replacing the cartridge. It happens frequently and will cause you headaches. Also, the pressure release valve is inside the cartridge. A badly replaced cartridge will also work against the supply of cold water.

Hence, looking at the cartridge’s working process and installation is crucial to ensure it is working correctly. Otherwise, you must fix the cartridge.

Broken rubber washer and leaks:

At times the rubber washer may get damaged and block the cold water supply lines. The rubber washer might come between the shower and water supply lines as it gets damaged or loosened. Thus, you will see no cold water in the shower.

Plus, there can be leaks in the cold water supply lines. When there are leaks in the water supply lines, cold water can’t reach the shower. So, you won’t have cold water in it. Leaks will cause a slow water supply in the shower. So, the showerhead may need more water to bathe properly. You will sometimes need extended time to shower due to the slow cold water flow.

Mineral development in showers:

Another possible reason for the shower not delivering cold water is mineral development inside it. The mineral and residues inside the showerhead will block the holes. So, the clogged holes will be unable to deliver cold water.

You will see residual and mineral development when you use the shower sparingly. If you use the shower regularly, it will be less likely to get blocked with sediments. Also, the sediment build-up issue is more acute in hard water regions. You will see calcium, iron, and magnesium particles in the holes of the showerhead.

The showerhead will first have minor sediment in it. As the problem persists, you will see it blocking the cartridge. Also, the pressure-releasing valve gets a block and starts malfunctioning. It will result in actual damage to the shower plumbing systems.

Blocks in cold water supply lines:

Last but not least, there can be blocks inside the water supply lines. Over the years, the water supply lines will get damaged. The metal pipes will be brittle and block the interior tubes. So, cold water from the main supply tank will not travel the distance. If the interior tubing of the supply lines gets clogged, you won’t receive cold water from it.

How Do You Fix A Shower That Doesn’t Have Cold Water?

Once you have identified the actual reason for showers not having cold water, solving it should be easy. So, with all the possible reasons for no cold water in the shower explained, let’s see their solution.

Replacing the cartridge:

Problems like a defective pressure release valve and malfunctioning cartridge are integrated. So, it would help if you replaced the older or damaged cartridge to get cold water in the shower again. It is usually inexpensive and easy to troubleshoot to shower without cold water.  

First, you must gather the tools to replace the shower cartridge and its pressure release valve.

• Screwdriver
• Hex wrench
• Groove-joint pliers
• Cartridge or repair kit
• Silicone grease

Once you have accumulated these tools, fixing the problematic cartridge will take a few minutes.

• First, you must remove the shower faucet handle. Use a hex wrench to pry off the shower handle cap and access its screws. Then, you may remove the screws and pry off the shower handle. Also, stop the water supply lines.
• After removing the handle, you will see the retaining clip. It holds the cartridge inside the shower handle. With a screwdriver, remove the retaining clip carefully. If it has screws, keep them securely.
• Depending on the design, use an adjustable wrench or pliers set to remove the cartridge. However, a few cartridge models will need a cartridge-pulling wrench to remove them from the shower plumbing system. As it happens, you can get the pulling wrench for cartridges from the nearby hardware shops.
• After removing the old cartridge, you can install the new one. Then, reverse this process to install the shower faucet and its handle.

Sometimes, the cold and hot water supply might reverse after cartridge installation. If it happens, check the cartridge orientation and reverse it at 180-degree angles for quick fixation.

Fixing the pressure release valve and O-rings:

When you have opened up the cartridge from the shower faucet, inspect the O-ring and pressure release valve. If the O-ring is damaged, install a new rubber washer. Also, check the valve for proper pressure release.

You have to cut off the older plumbing for the pressure release valve. You need to remove the cartridge and access the valve inside the shower faucet. Finally, you will need to cut off the pipes from the valve. You will need a pipe cutter for it. After that, install the necessary adapters.

You must connect the new pressure release valve with the shower faucet framing. Sometimes, you may need to install new framing with lumbers. So, be aware of it.

Removing sediments and fixing leaks:

You may even need to remove the residues and sediments from the shower faucet and water supply lines. If the water supply line has leaks, you also need to fix it. Depending on the actual reason, you must choose different methods to fix them.

Why does my hot water work but not cold water?

Sometimes the hot water may work while the cold water stops working in the shower. As it happens, check the cold water cartridge. Also, the main water supply lines may have been damaged and blocked. At times, the pressure release valve may not work inappropriately. It will, therefore, fail to regulate the water flow between the cold and hot water. So, the shower won’t have the water supply required with proper pressure.

Does a shower cartridge affect water temperature?

No, the shower cartridge hasn’t any role in the water temperature. It’s the faucet handle of the shower that regulates the water temperature. As you move the faucet handle, it will help you control the water temperature of the shower. You also need to set the water temperature rightly for the water heater. Or else you won’t get hot water.

Nonetheless, the cartridge is responsible for controlling the temperature of the safety cutoff feature. So, both the handle and cartridge are equally essential to maintain the showerhead at the proper temperature. It will allow you a relaxing bath.