When you turn on your cold water faucet in your bathroom or kitchen, but you feel warm or hot water coming out immediately, it is natural to feel a bit confused. This confusing plumbing problem can be incredibly obnoxious to deal with, as it is likely you will continue to forget and become angry every time this occurs. If this has happened to you at any point, there could be a few different reasons. Read on for a few reasons why hot water might be coming out of your cold faucet!
Proximity of Your Plumbing Pipes
Plumbing components usually need to fit into tight spots. So, it is normal for both hot and cold water lines to run parallel and close by to each other on their way to the faucet. However, if they are too close, the hot water pipe’s heat could affect the cold water line too. A good plumber will know how to avoid this issue entirely during the pipe installation process, but if it is an existing problem, the best fix is to insulate your pipes, which can go a very long way in regulating the water temperature.
Heating Transfer for Ventilation Ducts
If your forced-air heating system is running, then the ventilation ducts’ metal surface could be hot or warm to the touch. If your cold water pipe is in contact or close to the ductwork, then a bit of that heat could transfer to the waterline. Insulation is an excellent way to solve this type of issue and would not require a total overhaul of your existing plumbing system or ventilation ducts.
Thermostat is Not Working Properly
If you’ve got a water expansion tank in your plumbing system, the thermostat inside of the immersion heater could malfunction or even break entirely. This might cause water to be overheated and flow into your cold water pipes. Worst case scenario for your pipe, this could lead to boiling water ending up in your cold water tap. The end result will be lukewarm water that isn’t the cold water you expected. A local plumber can help by taking a look at your thermostat and preventing the problem from occurring again.
Copper Heating
Copper is highly heat conductive, which means that heat passes through quite quickly. If you are running hot water in your faucet and have copper pipes, the plumbing might heat up the whole faucet for some time.
Get in Touch With B&D Today!
Dealing with any plumbing concerns that require a professional to step in? Struggling with an absolute plumbing emergency that can’t wait? Let B&D Plumbing know. B&D Plumbing Inc. services the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Northern Virginia. Get in touch with us by calling (301) 595-1141 or follow us on social media including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. As a small, family-owned business, we understand how important your home is—and we offer exceptional service that matches!
