When there is no hot water at the tub but the sinks have hot water, the problem is between the house line and the spout, not in the water heater: a hot supply shutoff under the tub that is not fully open, or on thermostatic faucets, a cartridge fouled by minerals that is blocking the hot side. The first thing to check is both shutoff valves behind the access panel. Once those are confirmed wide open, the faucet type tells you where to look next.

Likely Causes

• The hot supply shutoff is partly closed or was never fully opened at installation. The supply lines and shutoff valves guide shows where they sit.
• On a thermostatic faucet, scale and sediment on the TCV cartridge or its intake screens stop the hot side from mixing through.
• A valve or filter an installer added to the hot line that is restricting flow, or a kinked supply line behind the tub.
• Expecting the in line heater to warm the bath. It does not heat cold water; it only maintains the temperature of the hot water you filled with, and only while the hydro pump runs.

What to Check, in Order

1. Open the access panel and confirm both shutoff valves are fully open. Hot water reaching the valve but not passing through is the signature of a shutoff that is only cracked open.
2. Look along the hot supply line for a kink, and for any valve or filter that was added at installation.
3. On a thermostatic faucet, have your plumber pull the TCV cartridge and clean the intake screens and check valve, or fit a new cartridge, following TCV cartridge cleaning and replacement. Then fit an inline filter or mesh, as described in protecting the TCV in hard water, and clean it periodically.
4. On the dual-lever 5-piece faucet there is no filter, aerator or thermostatic control inside the hot and cold valves, so whatever pressure and temperature is in the supply line is what reaches the spout. Weak or cool hot water there points at the house supply, an added valve, or the size and recovery of the water heater.
5. If the water is warm at first and then cools during the massage, read what the in line heater does: it holds the fill temperature during hydro massage and switches on and off with the pump.

When to Open a Ticket

If both shutoffs are open and the faucet still delivers cold or only a little hot water, open a ticket with your serial number, a photo of the faucet set on the deck, a photo of the shutoff valves and supply lines behind the access panel, and a note on whether the tub has a thermostatic valve and whether an inline filter is fitted. The team confirms the cause from those photos, and any part comes through your Ella dealer or the team at ellasbubbles.com/support or (800) 480-6850.

Common Questions