No Water Dispensing From Hot Side of Faucet? (Here's a Fix)

Whether you’re doing the dishes, taking a shower, or simply washing your hands, having hot water in your home is essential. If there’s no hot water coming out of your faucet, you could be facing a major dilemma.

The main reason that water won’t come out of the hot water tap is that the water heater is leaking. Hot water won’t come out of your faucet if your pipes are frozen or if the diverter valve is stuck and damaged. Your faucet may not dispense hot water if you haven’t flushed your water tank in over 3 years.

We’re going to take a look at all of the different things that could be causing this issue. There are easy fixes to get hot water up and running again in your home. Let’s dive into the factors that could be causing the disruption.

If you live in a state that experiences brutal winters, you’ll be well aware of what frozen pipes can do. They can stop water from flowing to all of the faucets in your home. If you’re not getting hot or cold water or just lukewarm water, this could be the culprit.

You’ll need to have the pipes thawed out before the water will start coming out of the faucet again. To unfreeze the pipes, you could use a hairdryer or a heat gun.

One of the main causes of not getting water to come out of the tap’s hot water side is an airlock issue. This is when the air becomes trapped in the water pipes and eventually leads to partial or total water blockages.

Below I’ve included an easy way to fix this issue in just two minutes! Another way to fix the issue is to put a hosepipe on the cold water tap and connect it to the hot water tap. Then, turn on the hot water one first all the way.

The pressure from the cold tap should force the airlock out. If this doesn’t fix the issue, you could need to drain the entire system down. To do this, it’s best to enlist the help of an engineer.

While this step isn’t necessary, it makes everything go smoothly. Open the pressure relief valve to allow water to flow easily. To do this, you’ll need a bucket underneath the drainage pipe.

Water will immediately rush out and will likely be extremely hot. Let the water cool before moving onto the next step. If you do this and water doesn’t come out, it’s likely an issue with the pressure relief valve that needs to be replaced.

It’s time to finish up, and the best way to do that is by doing everything in reverse. Turn off any spigots that are in the “on” position and disconnect the hose from the water heater. Then, close the pressure relief valve if you had it opened.

Turn off the water on any faucets you turned on at the start of the flushing process. Then, turn on the cold water spigot leading to the water heater. Allow the tank to fill up and ensure that the gas to the unit is back on.

Relight the pilot or flip the breaker switch again, depending on if you have a gas or electric appliance. It should take around 20 minutes for the water to heat up. Turn on one of the hot water spigots in your home to make sure the water is now coming out hot.

Related Questions

Why do I suddenly have no water?

If you all of a sudden don’t have any water pressure in your whole house, there’s something wrong with the water supply system. It could be a broken water main in your neighborhood, or it could be a pressure regulator. The easiest way to check it by screwing a meter onto the faucet to check the water pressure. 

How do I get the air out of my hot water pipes?

To get the air out of the hot water pipes in your home, you can slightly turn on both hot and cold water on every faucet. Allow the water to run for a few minutes. This lets the water pressure come out of the system and forces all air out of the pipes. 

Is air in water pipes dangerous?

Having air in your water pipes is natural. It doesn’t cause any damage to your home’s plumbing in general. Having an excess of water pressure could negatively affect the water lines on your property.