Water Temp Changes in the Shower

[Gebo]

I'm sure there will be a simple explanation for what I call "The Seasonal Changing of the Water Temperature in My Shower" phenomenon.

I have city water and a propane hot water tank. I never change the temp setting on the water tank. I have one of those single handed shower knobs where you rotate to the left for a hotter water temp and rotate right for a cooler water temp. During the winter I have to rotate at the know more to the left to get the water temp high enough to my liking. In the summer, I have to rotate more to the right or I'm looking a first degree burns over sensitive parts of my body.

For the life of me, I can't understand this "phenomenon." I'll have to set the handle at about 11 o'clock in the winter and about 1 o'clock in the summer to maintain what I perceive as the same temperature coming out of the shower head.

I thought maybe the incoming water was colder in the winter and warmer in the summer. But if my water heater temp stays the same????

 

[Eddie]

The water heater is not keeping up with the incoming colder water? Ed

 

[Delta]

Your mixing valve still has cold water coming into it so when the temps are cooler in the winter than you need more hot water to overcome it.

 

[kschachn]

Most or many of those valves only actually regulate the pressure, not the temperature (at least that's how mine are). They compensate for when another user in the house draws water and lowers the pressure in the pipes. I've seen some that actually regulate temperature but I don't have one and I suspect you don't either.

So yeah, if the supply temperature is lower or higher on either the hot or the cold then the valve handle will have a different position. You can also see this if during your shower there is another heavy user of hot water, you'll have to adjust the handle to try and keep your water at a constant temperature. The valve doesn't really know the temperature has changed, here in Wisconsin I note the same thing you do since our cold water temperature varies quite a bit between summer and the depths of winter.

 

[PimTac]

The source of the municipal water is colder in winter so the water heater cannot keep up as well with the cooler water. It’s fairly normal in most regions.

 

[MolaKule]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
The source of the municipal water is colder in winter so the water heater cannot keep up as well with the cooler water. It’s fairly normal in most regions.

Water pipes are run underground. The ground in which water pipes are laid may be 40F cooler than the air temp but levels off to about 45F here in winter.

Colder inflowing water in winter means the hot input has to be greater than in mid-summer.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted By: Delta
Your mixing valve still has cold water coming into it so when the temps are cooler in the winter than you need more hot water to overcome it.


You think you are so smart.

You are. That's it!

I feel sorta dumb now.

Check out my dry wall post for kicks.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Originally Posted By: PimTac
The source of the municipal water is colder in winter so the water heater cannot keep up as well with the cooler water. It’s fairly normal in most regions.

Water pipes are run underground. The ground in which water pipes are laid may be 40F cooler than the air temp but levels off to about 45F here in winter.

Colder inflowing water in winter means the hot input has to be greater than in mid-summer.

Good point. It may be specific to a locality. In my experience in Tacoma, during the summer when water usage is higher the city will activate a number of wells they have to keep up with demand. One can tell right away at the tap that the water is colder. These are deep artesian wells.

For most municipalities, they may be getting their water from a single source or watershed.

 

[Gebo]

Thanks to all. Now I can rest easy every morning in the shower understanding what is happening..

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: Gebo
Originally Posted By: Delta
Your mixing valve still has cold water coming into it so when the temps are cooler in the winter than you need more hot water to overcome it.


You think you are so smart.

You are. That's it!

I feel sorta dumb now.

Check out my dry wall post for kicks.


Hahah, I got a good laugh out of that.


If I really was smart I'd remember how to use than vs. then. I reread my post and was like "uhhh..."

 

[xBa380]

I brew beer and use ground water to chill my wort after boiling. Here in Cleveland, the ground water in winter can be around 40F or so. Currently, its around 70F so I have to supplement my chilling with ice to get my wort down to the proper temperature (anywhere from 50F to 68F).

In winter, your water tank has to do more "work", or the dilution ratio to heat the water up to comfortable temps by turning it more "HOT" on the dial.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted By: Delta
Originally Posted By: Gebo
Originally Posted By: Delta
Your mixing valve still has cold water coming into it so when the temps are cooler in the winter than you need more hot water to overcome it.


You think you are so smart.

You are. That's it!

I feel sorta dumb now.

Check out my dry wall post for kicks.


Hahah, I got a good laugh out of that.


If I really was smart I'd remember how to use than vs. then. I reread my post and was like "uhhh..."

Nah, I'd take your smarts over than vs then

 

[ARCOgraphite]

OP:
- What is your water source?
(I have an artesian (drilled) well and its usually about 43 degress +/-.)
-
How is your home insulation and pipe insulation?

-Are Pipes Copper or PEX?

 

[azjake]

As previously stated the temp of the cold water coming in to the shower varies based upon the season. In winter when the cold water is colder you need more hot water, and in the summer when the cold water is "warmer" you need less hot water. Those of us in the Arizona desert are well aware of this, especially this time of year. In fact with water lines not buried very deep here, you can almost take a shower with just the cold water on.

 

[bubbatime]

My house uses that plastic PEX water line stuff, ran through the hot attic. As you can imagine, the hot AND cold water lines pick up 100+ degree water from the attic. So I can literally take a shower using nothing but the cold water tap, perhaps supplemented from the hot water side if my showers run a little longer. In fact, I could turn my water heater off in the summer and have sufficient hot water in both the cold and hot lines to take a quick comfortable shower. Even the cold water temp from the ground is in the neighborhood of 76-78 degrees or so, so its never cold (in the summer)

Perhaps your house is built the same way?

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: Gebo
Thanks to all. Now I can rest easy every morning in the shower understanding what is happening..

OP/Gebo,

you see? ^^^

You already know what you need...

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

My guess is the pipes coming into the house from say a water heater in the Garage are not insulated?

 

[gman2304]

Originally Posted By: Delta
Your mixing valve still has cold water coming into it so when the temps are cooler in the winter than you need more hot water to overcome it.
. Delta knows faucets....

 

[FlyNavyP3]

Here in Florida I have the same issue, Peak of summer the handle is in the 3 o'clock position (6 is off and 5 is full cold, 9 is full hot) in the winter comfortable is the 11-12 o'clock position.

Water from the cold tap this time of year hovers between 80-85F.

 

[Nick1994]

Yeah mine is exactly the same way.

Let's use round numbers, and say you like to shower with 100 degree water. The valve in the middle is 1/2 cold and 1/2 hot. The cold water from the city is, say, 60 degrees and your water heater is 120. It'll need to be at around 11:00 to meet your perfect temp.

But if the city water is 90 degrees in the summer, the valve will need to be around 1:00.