# Balancing my shower's hot and cold water. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/balancing-my-showers-hot-and-cold-water/478387 "2008-12-22T23:59:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/balancing-my-showers-hot-and-cold-water/478387/1 "2008-12-22T23:59:25Z")
I live in a house with a fair-sized water heater. In my shower, the difference between, cool, nice and too-damn-hot is a tiny turn of my cold water knob. I turn the hot water on full and then add just a tiny amount of cold water to make it bearable. Getting it right is difficult because the amount to turn the cold water know is so small. Is there anyway to remedy this? I am pretty sure the thermostat on the water heater is as far up as it can go. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/balancing-my-showers-hot-and-cold-water/478387/2 "2008-12-23T08:16:53Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I > … I am pretty sure the thermostat on the water heater is as far up as it can go. This may well be the problem - try turning it down so a bit of excess hot does not produce scalding water. Then, if problem persists, replace the faucet set. To make it worth the trouble (if this is over a tub or really wide shower) - add a second shower head on the opposite wall. I plan on a bath remodel in a few monthe (kitchen comes first) - you betcha there is going to be 5’ wide shower with dual heads in the master. Yes, these are DIY for me - depending on the place’s age (steel or copper pipes?), it could be a nice learning experience (you do have another bath, right?). ---
**Author:** ![Dreamy\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dreamy\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreamy_B)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/balancing-my-showers-hot-and-cold-water/478387/3 "2008-12-23T11:40:13Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > \ I am pretty sure the thermostat on the water heater is as far up as it can go. This is dangerous because it presents a [scalding](http://www.safetypolicy.org/pm/scald.htm) danger. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/balancing-my-showers-hot-and-cold-water/478387/4 "2008-12-23T13:17:07Z")
What type of water heater do you have? If it is electric there are most likely two thermostats. It could be a simple fix, pull the cartridges out and check the washers and/or that the tap functions properly. Or, you can replace the tap cartridges to ones that open more gradually, giving you better control over the flow. Like **Dreamy B** said You should not have your water heater at full especially if you have separate taps for hot and cold. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/balancing-my-showers-hot-and-cold-water/478387/5 "2009-03-28T03:36:39Z")
Spam post reported. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/balancing-my-showers-hot-and-cold-water/478387/6 "2009-03-30T12:23:48Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Spam post reported. 😕