My hot and cold water pipes appear to intersect at some point

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Casecapital

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What brand of shower valves do you have? If it is a common valve and the cartridge is reasonably priced, then you could buy three and replace them all at this point. Or if it is a brand that has a test cap that can be put in in place of the valve, then you could get a test cap(not sure they sell them) and pull the valve and replace with the test cap and re-test.

https://www.deltafaucet.com/bathroom/product/R10000-UNBX.html

Look in the description, it comes with a "Heat-resistant pressure test cap allows for air or water testing before valve cartridge is installed"
Thank you for this info! I have begun the process to order new cartridges for all 5 single handle valves in my house.
 

wwhitney

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you check hot n cold issues while all lines and water htr connected . 1st Turn off supply to Htr go around each fixture make sure you have cold on right and nothing on left.
Based on the last test, where the water heater was disconnected, and cold water was observed to be backfed to the water heater hot supply connection, the above test is going to give cold water on both sides of every fixture. So I don't believe that test will provide any new information.

Cheers, Wayne
 

Casecapital

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Based on the last test, where the water heater was disconnected, and cold water was observed to be backfed to the water heater hot supply connection, the above test is going to give cold water on both sides of every fixture. So I don't believe that test will provide any new information.

Cheers, Wayne
That is a great point. I already know that when my cold water inlet is turned off at the heater, the cold water backs up into the hot water line and flows through it.
I guess I will hope there is a way to turn off all 3 of the shower valves before the water hits the cartridges of each, and hope I can isolate the issue. Thanks again!
 

Reach4

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Thank you for this info. I have 3 shower valves and 2 single handle faucets. I have begun to order new cartridges for all 5 of these and will replace all once I have them to see if that fixes the issue. After reading everyone's responses, I have to believe it must be one of these 5 that is causing the cross-over. I will post what I find out. Thanks again!
You don't think it worthwhile listening, by you or a child, during known crossover flow?
 

Casecapital

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You don't think it worthwhile listening, by you or a child, during known crossover flow?
Sure, i will try that as well! I am open to any ideas. I assume it is best to open up the face plate and get my ear as close to the vavle as possible, correct? Thank you for the idea!
 

Reach4

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Sure, i will try that as well! I am open to any ideas. I assume it is best to open up the face plate and get my ear as close to the vavle as possible, correct? Thank you for the idea!
If the back is not accessible, I would think maybe put an ear to the control without pulling the face plate.

Clearly you want other sources of sound turned off during that.
 

John Gayewski

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The problem is that this is not being done systematically. You need to do the same test with different variables. Your switching between tests before the test is done.

The part where your last heater "stopped making heat" is suspect to me. Was it really? How do you know that based on what your seeing now?
 

Casecapital

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The problem is that this is not being done systematically. You need to do the same test with different variables. Your switching between tests before the test is done.

The part where your last heater "stopped making heat" is suspect to me. Was it really? How do you know that based on what your seeing now?
The heater was still making heat, but it was 21 years old and we had to turn the red dial to the "Full Heat" to get the water to be hot. When I drained it, there was a lot of sediment, so I am sure the bottom was full of it after 21 years of use. I figured I was on borrowed time at this point (actually I probably was for the past 2-3 years at least), so I decided to go to the new Hybrid option before my old gas one died for good.
 

Casecapital

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If the back is not accessible, I would think maybe put an ear to the control without pulling the face plate.

Clearly you want other sources of sound turned off during that.
The backs re not accessible, so I will need to listen from the front. Thanks again!
 
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