goldenroadrunner
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This is very confusing to everyone I explain it to, especially to me because I'm sick of hanging out in my bathroom waiting for the next problem to arise.
Background: I have an old mobile home with inevitably bad insulation and thin walls, ergo pipes are constantly freezing. Today, the wind chill in western NY is -20, actual temp is 1.
I recently had to replace the valves in each shower handle as they exploded into the tub when the interior copper piping froze. Done.
The hot water tank inlet valve has been shut off because of a water leak under the trailer. Water leak has been fixed, but main supply to the house is off.
I replaced the bathroom sink faucet with new and new lines to each supply line. I closed the supply valves to work on these lines (the 2 valves behind the shower that control flow to both the shower and the bath faucet), even though the main line was closed (off) and even though there are valves from the supply line to the new braided mesh lines I installed. Not that it matters much, but I also determined that in the shower, hot water goes to the right handle and cold water goes to the left handle. (not me! I'm just fixing stuff)
The next day, when I turned on the main water line into the house, I could only get the cold water valve behind the shower to open. The hot water valve is closed and I can't get it to open (I'm assuming the interior line is frozen-including the valve and handle). I assume there is only one line coming from the hot water tank? So, I have cold water flowing from the sink and the tub. Obviously when I try to turn on the hot water from each faucet nothing comes out because the supply valve won't open.
Ok, I think that pretty much sets the stage for the actual problem:
With all faucets in the off position, the cold supply valve open, the hot supply valve frozen closed, I turn on the supply line to the water tank-which is in the next room about 2 feet away. I hear the inital gasping and gurgling, then normal flow. I sneak back into the bathroom and hear water spraying behind the shower. There is water leaking from an elbow connection to the shower spout.
Remembering the hot water valve is frozen closed, why would water leak from this elbow ONLY WHEN the main supply to the hot water tank is on??? The leak stopped when I turned off supply to the tank. And if it is a bad hot water valve, why wouldn't I get any water from any faucet when I turn it to hot, but I get water when I turn it to cold?
Oh my God , please help!!
Thank you,
Ginger
Background: I have an old mobile home with inevitably bad insulation and thin walls, ergo pipes are constantly freezing. Today, the wind chill in western NY is -20, actual temp is 1.
I recently had to replace the valves in each shower handle as they exploded into the tub when the interior copper piping froze. Done.
The hot water tank inlet valve has been shut off because of a water leak under the trailer. Water leak has been fixed, but main supply to the house is off.
I replaced the bathroom sink faucet with new and new lines to each supply line. I closed the supply valves to work on these lines (the 2 valves behind the shower that control flow to both the shower and the bath faucet), even though the main line was closed (off) and even though there are valves from the supply line to the new braided mesh lines I installed. Not that it matters much, but I also determined that in the shower, hot water goes to the right handle and cold water goes to the left handle. (not me! I'm just fixing stuff)
The next day, when I turned on the main water line into the house, I could only get the cold water valve behind the shower to open. The hot water valve is closed and I can't get it to open (I'm assuming the interior line is frozen-including the valve and handle). I assume there is only one line coming from the hot water tank? So, I have cold water flowing from the sink and the tub. Obviously when I try to turn on the hot water from each faucet nothing comes out because the supply valve won't open.
Ok, I think that pretty much sets the stage for the actual problem:
With all faucets in the off position, the cold supply valve open, the hot supply valve frozen closed, I turn on the supply line to the water tank-which is in the next room about 2 feet away. I hear the inital gasping and gurgling, then normal flow. I sneak back into the bathroom and hear water spraying behind the shower. There is water leaking from an elbow connection to the shower spout.
Remembering the hot water valve is frozen closed, why would water leak from this elbow ONLY WHEN the main supply to the hot water tank is on??? The leak stopped when I turned off supply to the tank. And if it is a bad hot water valve, why wouldn't I get any water from any faucet when I turn it to hot, but I get water when I turn it to cold?
Oh my God , please help!!
Thank you,
Ginger
