I just got back from a two-week vacation, and a contractor was working on demolishing one of my second-floor bathrooms while I was away. I turned the water back on after getting home, and everything seemed fine for about 20-30 minutes during my showers and tooth brushing. Then, out of nowhere, the water started tapering off until it completely stopped in that bathroom. The other bathroom and all other areas in the house still have water, so I checked all the valves, and they're definitely in the 'on' position.
It's cold outside (low 30s F), but since I had water for a while, I doubt it froze suddenly. Both the hot and cold water are affected in that bathroom sink and shower. It has a different pipe system from the other bathroom. After some fiddling, I think I found a clue – I unscrewed the shower head and noticed it's clogged with tiny green mineral deposits. Could this build-up have happened in the two weeks I was gone? I'm worried about the sink's vanity, too. Any insights into what might have happened?
2 Answers
You might want to reach out to the contractor; there’s a chance he could have installed a secondary shut-off for that bathroom. Since you have no water coming from the hot or cold lines, double-check if everything’s hooked up. Since water isn’t leaking anywhere else, it might just be an issue specific to your bathroom.
Sounds like turning off the water loosened some buildup in the pipes, which likely clogged your shower head. It’s a common issue, but luckily it didn’t reach the faucet cartridges. Make sure to clean out the shower head and check the sink faucet too. It’s probably a minor fix!
Yeah, I noticed those deposits when I took apart the shower head. I'm hoping I can sort out the sink without too much hassle. It was late when I started and I think I might've broken the cold water handle while trying to get it off. :/
I’ll definitely call him once I can! Just really tired right now and it’s pretty late. I don’t think he installed a secondary shut-off because the water worked fine for a while after I turned it back on.