Top shower problems and how to fix them

Did you know, the average adult will spend 416 days in the bathroom in a lifetime?

Keep your shower in proper working order by keeping your eye out for common shower problems.

Plumbed in showers

Low flow/low water pressure

If you have a temporary dip in water pressure, the build-up of limescale on the shower head could be your culprit. Descaling the shower head can restore the normal speed of flow of water. If that doesn’t resolve things however, you might need a more permanent solution like replacing the shower.

Infrequent bursts of scalding hot water

Left with scalding hot water in your shower when someone, elsewhere in the house, flushes the toilet? Ouch!

This is caused by the cold water that was being used to temper the hot water of your shower rushes away to fulfil this flush. Installing high-efficiency toilets is one way of avoiding this painful problem. It reduces the amount of cold water that the toilet needs to flush, meaning the shower has enough cold water to temper the hot water.

Noisy shower

Overly loud shower interrupting your angelic shower singing?

Fortunately, a noisy shower isn’t a terrible problem to have and is a pretty quick one to fix. Make sure that each unit is properly secured to the wall, and the pipes that provide the water need are secured with brackets.

Check that the blanking plugs have been inserted into spare inlet fittings inside the unit, and the problem should be resolved.

No water at all

If you are getting no water at all or it stops when you are showering the problem might be the solenoid valve.

This valve is operated by a coil. When the coil breaks, the valve will not open and allow water into the shower. You can replace the coil to solve this issue but if this fails the shower will need replacing.

Electric showers

The water is tepid or there is not enough power

Your issue in this case is usually the micro switch. It might have burnt out inside and not allowing the power through to the elements. Alternatively, it could be an element itself. If one of the elements has burnt out then the shower will only be working at half power.

My shower is going hot & cold

So first of all check that the valve coming into your house is fully open and the valve in line with the shower is fully open. If they are both fully open, then it could be a problem with your showers flow valve, that comes into the shower. If this is the case, they will need replacing.

My shower is cold

The Thermal Cut-Out (TCO) could be your culprit here. If the shower overheats, it cuts off the power to the elements. If this keeps happening, or the shower gets far too hot and it cuts out completely, this will need replacing.

There is water coming from the bottom of my shower

It is possible that the PRD has activated (Pressure Relief Device). All manufacturers have them and they slightly differ. Usually, it’s a ball inside that gets ejected when the pressure builds up inside the heating tank. A blocked shower head or the hose being kinked is what normally causes this.

There is no water coming from the shower at all (or  it stops and starts)

Here it is: the number one fault with electric showers. The solenoid valve.
If you find the shower stops working completely or cuts off, this is the culprit. It’s usually this part, the coil and the coil breaks down. The coil, when working, lifts a plunger inside the solenoid valve and allows the water into the shower. When the coil breaks down, the water stops running and that’s what causes the problem.