After a long and exhausting day, a warm bath is no doubt one of the best forms of self-care, however, discovering that the hot side of your faucet isn’t dispensing hot water can quickly put a damper on this excitement.
There’re a handful of reasons why there might be no water dispensing from the hot side of the faucet, some of which include but are not limited to a damaged or stuck diverter valve, or frozen pipes during winter. Additionally, lack of hot water from faucets can also be caused by debris in your cartridge or a faulty water valve.
As this article progresses we’ll help you address the reasons for this problem and provide effective DIY solutions.
10 Reasons Why Hot Water is Not Dispensing From Hot Side of Faucet and their Fix
To properly diagnose, we advise you to check every faucet in your home. Early detection can help you solve the problem. Here we’ve put together 10 reasons why you might be experiencing this issue.
1. Clogged Faucet
First on the list of reasons why you might not have water dispensing from the hot side of the faucet is a clogged faucet. It is quite possible that one or more hot water faucets in the house is clogged up with sediment, debris, and particles gathered over the years, leading to a block in water flow.
The water temperature may be hot enough, but if the carrier (faucet) doesn’t give it a way to flow, you won’t be getting any supply.
Solution
To fix this,
- Step 1: Remove the hot water supply line from the faucet and put a bucket beneath the hot water connection
- Step 2: Next, turn on the cold-water supply and block the spigot with your finger.
- Step 3: Once you’ve got it blocked, turn on the cold water which will travel down the water inlet and force whatever sediments in the water. Now, reassemble your faucet and voila!, you’ll have hot water gushing out.
2. Inactive Water Valve
Faulty valves can also restrict the flow of hot water to your faucet. To locate the water valve, check under the basin and carefully examine it; someone may have unknowingly turned it off.
Solution
Turning the hot water valve off will stop it from coming out of the faucet. If this is the case, rotate the water valve counterclockwise to turn it on.
3. Faulty Water Heater
A bad water heater could also be the reason for poor hot water supply in your home, especially if the cold side of your faucet is dispensing without restrictions.
Water heaters go bad for a few reasons- it could be a leak from the valve that has left the water heater virtually empty, debris that has piled out over continuous use, or a shaky plug in the socket.
Solution
To address faulty water heater issues, drain it of all liquid and refill it with fresh water, let your heater heat up and work the faucet again.
4. Frozen Pipes
Folks that live in environments with extreme winter are no strangers to frozen pipes. Frozen pipes can restrict water from flowing to all the faucets in your house, and they may cause hot water to go cold or lukewarm.
Always be on the lookout for frozen hot water pipes at the first discovery of your faucet, not dispensing hot water or any water at all. If frozen, you’ll need to thaw your pipes for water flow.
Solution
You can use a hairdryer or a heat gun to unfreeze your pipe. Pouring hot water on your frozen pipe is also a great way to solve the problem.
5. No Water Supply
The malfunctioning faucet can be because the water supply is off. If no water is coming out of your faucet.
Solution
You should consider checking in with the central reservoir or tank in your house to see if there’s water in it to start with.
6. Shaky Installation
We usually advise against installing water or an overall plumbing system yourself, especially if you’re not vast in plumbing. A faulty, shaky, and mediocre installation can cause the hot water from the boiler to not reach the faucet.
Solution
The fix is to do a total overhaul of your water system, adjust the settings and confirm if they’re good to function.
7. Airlocked Pipes
Airlock in pipes is one of the most common reasons hot water isn’t dispensed from your faucet. Simply put, your pipes are airlocked when the air becomes trapped in the water pipes leading to a blockage in flow (total or semi).
Solution
There’s a quick way to fix this issue;
- Step 1: First, you put a hosepipe on the cold-water outlet
- Step 2: Then, adjoin it to the hot water tap, after which you turn on the hot water tap first and all the way too. The force from the cold-water tap will force the trapped air out and your faucet is as good as new.
8. Rusty Faucets
One of the major issues you’ll face with your faucets is rust due to their constant contact with water. The rust in your faucets can cause major water blockage and generally restrict all the inner workings of the faucets.
Solution
Replace your rusty faucets with new ones to aid maximum performance.
9. Poor Boiler Connection
If you use a gas or electric boiler in your house, check the sockets to see if it’s disconnected from the main power supply or if there is a poor power connection. It may also have been switched off from the source, making it unable to function.
Solution
We also suggest that you reset your boiler for a renewed function. You can locate the reset switch on the system’s body.
Sometimes, you may not set the boiler timer to when you need it- let’s say you set your timer to midday; it means you’ll only get hot water in the afternoon. So, set your timer to exactly when you need hot water. That’ll save time, money, and energy.
10. Wrong Thermostat Setting
If hot water isn’t coming out of your faucet, it’s also due to an improper thermostat adjustment. This can affect your water’s temperature- making it very cold or warm.
Solution
If your faucet has a temperature control function set to maximum, make sure that it isn’t stationed to block hot water. To locate this adjustment, remove the handle of your faucet.
Alternatively, if the circuit breaker for your water heater is detached and you’re finding it hard to reset it, it’s usually due to an electrical malfunction in the water heater that has made the elements burn out.
Here’s a DIY video for you on how to fix a faulty faucet
How to Fix a Faulty Hot Water Tank
Many times, the main culprit behind hot water not getting to the hot side of your faucet can be the hot water tank (Water Heater). Since they’re the brain behind getting the water to become hot, it’s important to pay closer attention to them.
The gas water heater functions with the help of propane or natural gas coming into the tank to heat the water. A supply line carries the fuel to the gas control valve, which transfers a small amount of gas to keep the pilot light on.
The gas heats the thermocouple and sends a signal back to the control valve to power the burner. A thermostat helps regulate the burner in the tank and turns it on to always ensure regulated heat.
Step 1: Check the Pilot Light
If your gas heater isn’t working as expected, check the pilot light as it must always be always kept on- if the light shows otherwise, then light it again.
Step 2: Examine the Thermocouple
It’s also important to check the thermocouple as it could be filled with soot, dirt, misaligned, or broken. If, the thermocouple and pilot light are unscathed; check if the gas valve is opened and ensure proper gas flow.
Step 3: Check Electrical Connections
Electric water heaters are slightly different as you only must connect them to an external power source like a socket. Ensure the fuse isn’t blown and the current is high enough to power the heater. The thermostat can also be a major issue, so check that.
Here’s a video to guide you on how to fix a faucet that won’t dispense hot water
Final Words
If you ever find yourself in a fix as regards the fact that hot water is not coming out of your faucet, this guide will help you make a proper diagnosis and find a lasting solution. Simple solutions are almost all you require to put things back in place but don’t hesitate to seek an expert’s service when needed.
Don’t forget to turn off your water before embarking on repairs. The fact that hot water is not currently flowing from the faucet doesn’t mean you still can’t get hurt.
