Cold Water Tap Not Working But Hot Is! [SOLVED]

Hot-and-cold faucets are amazing! They give hot and cold water without taking up too much space. But they are not immune to problems. For example, you may find the cold water tap is not working, but the hot is. Wondering what may cause it?

The cold tap may stop working when the shut-off valve is turned off. It could be due to the pipe being blocked or frozen too. Also, the cold tap might get blocked by a dislodged washer.

Is that all regarding the cold water tap not working, but hot is? Not really! There can be other reasons too. And if you keep reading, you can learn about them, plus the troubleshooting steps for each.

Common Causes of Cold Water Taps Not Working

Is only the hot water tap working and not the cold? Let’s first explore all the reasons that can cause the issue.

1. Closed Shut-off valve

Hot-and-cold faucets have two different valves. And it goes without saying that when the cold valve is turned closed, you will not get cold water from the tap.

2. Blocked or Frozen Pipe

The line connecting the cold water tap can get blocked for different reasons. For example, there can be mineral buildup within the pipe.

On the other hand, if you are in a place where the temperature goes below freezing, the pipe might have been frozen. And that is probably why you are not getting any cold water out of the tap.

3. Kinked Pipe

Did you recently work with the lines of the faucet? In that case, you might not have been careful with the placement of the pipes. And that eventually got them kinked, restricting the flow of the water.

How to Fix a Cold Water Tap That Isn’t Working?

So, as you are not trying to fix the hot water faucet, all the info below will be regarding the cold water tap. And if you are looking to fix hot water coming out of the cold tap, the steps below will not work!

With that cleared out, let’s get into describing more about the reasons that could specifically make the cold water tap stop working and their fixes –

1. Inspect the shut-off valve

Before anything else, you need to check the shut-off valve. Any faucet that supplies both cold and hot water will have two shut-off valves. If you have pets or kids in your home, they might have playfully closed the valve.

And if that is likely the case, it might explain why you are not getting water from the cold tap, but the hot water is working fine. Here, you must open the shut-off valve to get the cold water faucet working again.

2. Check the supply line

If the shut-off is open, the supply line can have three main issues. They are –

Kinked pipe

If the line is kinked, a visual inspection should give it away. And there’s really not much you can do to fix the kinking issue of water lines. You must replace the pipe with something sturdier.

Pipe blocked with minerals

If the pipe is blocked, you are dealing with buildups. In that case, your home is connected to a hard water supply with too many minerals. You might have faced a steady decrease in the water pressure before this incident, right?

To fix a water line clogged with mineral buildups, wrap a rag soaked with vinegar around the fixture. Leave it overnight, and then scrub off the loose minerals from the base.

Frozen pipe

Live in an area where the temperature goes below freezing? Your cold water line might be frozen, which might be the reason why you are not getting any water from the tap.

Here, the simple fix is to open the cabinet doors and let some heat in the cabinet to unfreeze the pipe. If the sink’s lines are not housed behind cabinet doors, you can use a portable heater to mitigate the issue.

3. Disassemble the tap and replace the washer

In case you didn’t know, your faucet has many small parts. They all work together to keep the water flowing. The washer is one of them, which can become loose or dislodge over time.

Take the help of the user manual to disassemble the faucet. Check the condition of the washer.

Does the washer appear to be torn or damaged? Replace the washer, put the tap back in place, and see whether the tap works.

4. Check the cartridge

The faucet cartridge is an integral part of the faucet. It controls the flow and turns it off when you close the lever or the handle. But over time, it can wear down, letting only one tap work and blocking the water from the cold tap.

To check on the cartridge, close the shut-off valve, remove the handle, and remove the metal piece on the hole. Depending on the faucet model, you might find retaining clips on the cartridge. Use a pair of pliers to remove it, and then inspect it.

When the faucet cartridge appears worn out or damaged, you should replace it. But make sure to purchase the correct cartridge. Yes, faucet cartridges are not universal.

5. Repair or replace the faucet

Have you gone through all the steps above? Is the faucet still not offering cold water? It might have gone faulty. And it can happen for multiple reasons. For example, the internal parts might be too corroded to function normally.

Moreover, the integral seals of the faucets may go bad, resulting in taps not offering water. No matter the case, you must put much time and effort into repairing it. And if you want to hire a professional, you may need to spend anywhere from $75 to $175.

So, a better approach for handling a faulty unit is to replace it. Yes, that also comes with a cost, as you need a brand-new faucet. But when repaired, you may face the same issues after a couple of months.

Of course, you should consider the age of the faucet before making a decision. So, to answer the question of whether you should repair or replace a faulty cold water tap, you need to remember one key thing.

If the faucet is just a few months old and is mostly in good shape, repair it. On the other hand, if it is too old and has many failing parts, replace it.

How to Maintain a Hot-and-Cold Faucet?

Do you not want to face the cold water tap issue again? You need to maintain the faucet to keep it in good shape. It might sound strenuous. But you don’t need to go through intricate steps to maintain the faucet. Take a look at the steps –

1. Clean the faucet regularly, and do not let minerals settle on the pipes and internal parts.
2. Occasionally check for leaks and ensure the balance valve is in good shape.
3. Ensure to test the water temperature from time to time. Take immediate steps when the hot tap offers too hot water.
4. Inspect the cartridges, seals, and washers once every couple of weeks. Replace them as soon as you can spot visible damage or wear.

Final Words

Are you wondering why is the cold water tap not working but hot is? In short, it basically happens for problems with the shut-off valve, the water line, and the washer within the tap.

However, if you follow the troubleshooting approaches mentioned in this article, you should be able to get it fixed in no time.