Really weird question about hot/cold water here... (Jay: apartment, water heater)

[deecbee]

I just moved here from California two months ago so bear with me.

I've noticed something odd with the water here, or maybe it's just the pipes at home/work. Cold water trickles out and is very scarce, and hot water is always plentiful and.... hot! Dangerously hot! It is impossible for me to manipulate the hot and cold so that the water is lukewarm- if the hot water is turned on even slightly, I get scalded to death. I'm surprised it's even legal to have water running that hot. Basically my options are freezing cold water, or burn myself.
Is it just a freak occurrence with the places I frequent? Or is this common?

[henry1]

ask your building super to check the setting on the water heater

[Kefir King]

It is impossible for me to manipulate the hot and cold so that the water is lukewarm- if the hot water is turned on even slightly, I get scalded to death.

Have your faucet replaced.

[jcoltrane]

In answer to your question, yeah your experiences are quite common to non-luxury life in NYC.

Older buildings with old 'lead' pipes, over the years, these pipes develop a buildup in the interior of the pipes which which narrows the pipe diameter. Often this narrowing is significant and continues to develop and grow worse. Consequently, the water flow is significantly reduced.

You find this in older unrenovated buildings. The only solution is to ripe out the old piping and to replace it. This will occur only with a gut renovation. Few work place buildings suffer this issue, though some older unrenovated buildings do still exist in some parts of Manhattan, which until recently were in low demand and didn't warrant the investment by the owners.

In the outer boroughs, in the older industrialized areas that are being utilized for modern work and living space, yet have not been fully renovated, you may have the same piping issues.

As with all things in NYC, the bottom end of the money scale always gets the crap. In new and/or higher end buildings you won't have this issue.

Heat/Hot Water is a different problem, but again, its a low end issue. In most tenanment and low scale buildings LLs chose to blast the heat and ensure that the hot water excedes the legal minimum temp. They do this to avoid tenant complaits to city agencies resulting in fines and interference with the running of their buildings.

The City is quick to respond to inacequate heat and hot water complaints. The consequence of this is roasting apts with open windows during Winter and overly hot water all during the year.

Also, some of the heat and hot water systems are so old, that there is basically two adjustment levels---On and Off!

Note, hot water is required to be maintained at a temp which, generally, kills germs. I don't recall the actual temp, but its pretty hot.

So that's NYC life on the low end. It ain't no middle class paradise.

The best way to deal, is achieve a lifestlye in which you control your own heat and hot water, but of course that costs!

P.S., I didn't mention anything about the LEAD levels in the water, cause I didn't want to scare you.

[Jaydata]

Just turn on cold water to max, and then change the
setting of the cold water valve under the sink by turning
them to the right or left until you think they are no longer
scarce. Hot water valve=red color, Cold water valve = Blue color.

If the whole apartment's cold water supply have the same
problem, and you don't have access to the main valve, then
you have to talk to the supper about your problem.


As for water being too hot, if you have access to the water
heater, you can change the thermostat setting there to your
desired temperature. I usually set the thermostat lower during
the summer, and higher for the winter.

[deecbee]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. Yea, I guess I get what I pay for I'll suck it up and deal with it for now. I guess it's a good thing I bought a Brita pitcher? The water in LA tastes terrible, not so much here, but I'm so used to having one. My roommate who's been here for years looked at me like I was crazy!

[jcoltrane]

Jaydata's suggestion is a good one!

Yeah, check the valves under the sinks. For some reason, the cold water valve may have been turned down.

Luck!

[nightcrawler]

Originally Posted by jcoltrane

In answer to your question, yeah your experiences are quite common to non-luxury life in NYC.

Older buildings with old 'lead' pipes, over the years, these pipes develop a buildup in the interior of the pipes which which narrows the pipe diameter. Often this narrowing is significant and continues to develop and grow worse. Consequently, the water flow is significantly reduced.

You find this in older unrenovated buildings. The only solution is to ripe out the old piping and to replace it. This will occur only with a gut renovation. Few work place buildings suffer this issue, though some older unrenovated buildings do still exist in some parts of Manhattan, which until recently were in low demand and didn't warrant the investment by the owners.

In the outer boroughs, in the older industrialized areas that are being utilized for modern work and living space, yet have not been fully renovated, you may have the same piping issues.

As with all things in NYC, the bottom end of the money scale always gets the crap. In new and/or higher end buildings you won't have this issue.

Heat/Hot Water is a different problem, but again, its a low end issue. In most tenanment and low scale buildings LLs chose to blast the heat and ensure that the hot water excedes the legal minimum temp. They do this to avoid tenant complaits to city agencies resulting in fines and interference with the running of their buildings.

The City is quick to respond to inacequate heat and hot water complaints. The consequence of this is roasting apts with open windows during Winter and overly hot water all during the year.

Also, some of the heat and hot water systems are so old, that there is basically two adjustment levels---On and Off!

Note, hot water is required to be maintained at a temp which, generally, kills germs. I don't recall the actual temp, but its pretty hot.

So that's NYC life on the low end. It ain't no middle class paradise.

The best way to deal, is achieve a lifestlye in which you control your own heat and hot water, but of course that costs!

P.S., I didn't mention anything about the LEAD levels in the water, cause I didn't want to scare you.

exactly, I had the same problem. Till the lady dies on the 2nd floor and they gutted the kitchen, thus replacing the pipes. The Ll showed me the cold water pipe and it was lined with gunk, thus making the pipe smaller inside and no water pressure. Now the pipes were replaced and we have equal hot and cold water pressure. This is likley the same problem.