Scalding hot shower alert.

Have you been burned by a shower that runs too hot? I stopped in at the Loves in Newton, IA to take a shower. As a former commercial plumbing inspector i noticed Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) violations in my particular shower, all of which could lead to first or second degree burns. I notified management, as well as Loves corporate office. You should do the same if you experience any of the three situations below (I experienced them all in the same shower!)


1. The UPC states that shower water will not exceed 120 degrees F. The water here was scalding hot, a code violation.

2. As is in most cases, the shower is turned on by a single rotary lever. Proper installation will cause cold water to flow first, gradually getting hotter as the lever is turned. In this case, scalding hot water came out first, a code violation.

3. The temperature and pressure of shower water should be steady. In this case, the pressure would drop suddenly when a cold water fixture, such as a water closet (toilet), was flushed. The result was a sudden increase in shower water temperature (scalding hot) for 2-3 seconds, a code violation.

These problems can easily be avoided by proper installation of the hot and cold water supply, and the installation of a Temperature and Pressure Regulator (T&P) to keep other fixtures in the building from sapping cold water pressure.