Moen Kitchen Faucet Temperature Adjustment

By - Hs Saini

Updated -

Adjusting the water temperature of some kitchen faucets may not be as easy as imagined.

For individual knob faucets, it’s pretty easy to understand, but when using single-handle faucets without any indication, it becomes tricky.

Moen kitchen faucet temperature adjustment is made with the help of mixing valves or anti-scalding valves. The anti-scalding valves are installed to mix both temperatures to a moderate temperature. Also, you can adjust the temperature manually by turning the knob towards the left for hot water and turning it to the right to get cold water. 

How Do You Adjust the Water Temperature On a Moen Kitchen Faucet?

Moen Kitchen Faucet Temperature Adjustment

You’re required to turn the knob towards the left for hot water and turn it right to get cold water.

Keeping the knob in the middle will give a lukewarm water temperature since it is neither tuned left nor right.

From this, you should tell that adjusting water temperature on a single-handle faucet, otherwise known as a Moen kitchen faucet, is pretty straightforward.

Other than the direction the knob is turned to, which determines the water temperature to flow, the actual temperature adjustment is made by some processes.

The process that decides the type of water to flow whenever the knob is turned is done by the mixing valve, otherwise known as the anti-scald valve.

As the name implies, these valves mix both temperatures to get a less hot temperature without the risk of scalding.

It is an automated process that creates the exact water temperature you desire. It works perfectly to produce varying water temperatures according to your specifications.

Is There a Restrictor In a Moen Kitchen Faucet?

All Moen kitchen faucets have flow restrictors embedded in them mainly for water conservation. This fact aligns with the laws governing water usage against water wastage.

The laws ensure that all modern faucets, including Moen kitchen faucets, have water restrictors. The Moen single-handle faucet is located behind the aerator.

The restrictors, mainly used for regulating water flow, are in the form of a flexible rubber guard you can remove.

So in a case where you’re experiencing low water pressure from your Moen shower faucet, all you need to do is take out the restrictor. 

Remove the restrictor by unscrewing the aerator, and each faucet comes with an aerator key.

The aerator key is a plastic key that can unscrew the aerator whenever it gets clogged and needs to be cleaned.

Although there are laws against water wastage, Moen kitchen faucets come with restrictors; in cases of low water pressure, taking out your Moen water restrictors is legal.

Having a low water pressure can be due to a few reasons. Common reasons why you may be having low water pressure include;

  • Clogged up aerators.
  • Partially On  Moen shower valves.
  • A link in the supply pipeline.

To understand how best to proceed with the above-mentioned possible causes of low water pressure, here is a detailed explanation and possible remedies.

#1. Clogged Up Aerators

Due to the pressure involved in pumping the water and through all the channels it flows, debris is common in water.

The aerators trap this debris and, over time, may lead to clogging, which causes a decrease in the water pressure.

It is almost impossible to prevent the aerators from trapping debris since the water flow is steady.

Therefore, getting rid of trapped debris is the best way to improve the water pressure in the case of clogged aerators.

  • Using the aerator key, unscrew the aerator.
  • Clean out the trapped debris thoroughly.
  • Reinstall the now clean aerator.

Doing this from time to time will help reduce the frequency of clogged aerators.

#2. Partially On Anti-Scald Valves

This reason is another common reason for low water pressure. The flow will be below when you don’t turn on your Moen shower valves completely, coupled with the water restrictors.

Ensure that you turn on the anti-scald valves correctly by paying attention to when it reaches its turning limit.

Once you’ve turned on the water valves completely, there should be an improvement in the water flow.

If you’ve completely turned on the Moen shower valves and the flow is still low, consider the other options mentioned here.

#3. A Kink In The Pipeline

There are cases where the above-mentioned possible causes of low water pressure are checked. The next closest possibility is a kink in the pipeline.

The best way to deal with this is by installing a new water supply line. To solve this problem: 

  • Confirm that the line has a kink.
  • Disconnect the line from both the faucet and the water supply.
  • Install a new line and reconnect with the faucet and water supply.

Different faucets have their working principle, be it individual knobs or single-handle faucets. In addition, some processes work together to regulate the water flow.

For example, depending on the type of faucet, each faucet has a valve, and for Moen kitchen faucets, things like restrictors are part of the regulating devices. 

They regulate the amount of water used by an individual, and although you can remove it, they help conserve water.

Why Is One Faucet Hotter Than Another?

There are two significant reasons why one faucet may be hotter than another, and they include:

#1. A Faulty Anti-Scald Valve 

Anti-scald valves are installed in single-handle faucets specifically designed to adjust the water temperature to prevent scalding.

However, if the scald valve that controls the hot water flow is set too high, the hot water may overshadow the cold water.

So much that even when the knob is turned towards the cold water, some of the hot water will still flow.

In such instances where more hot water than cold water flows, it indicates a lack of balance between the two temperature valves.

Single handle faucets come with scald valves which are plastic that helps to prevent the excessive flow of hot water.

If the anti-scald valves installed are faulty, the hot water will overshadow the cold water.

#2. High Set Scald Valve

Another possibility is that the scald valve is set too high. Since the anti-scalding valve is the mixing valve, if it is set too high, it’ll allow for the passage of more hot water than needed.

And this results in one faucet getting hotter than the other. So, always monitor the way you place your scald valve. 

How Does a Faucet Control Temperature?

For individual knobs, each knob is directly linked to adjusting water temperature separate from the other.

Individual lines are connected to the faucet in single-handle faucets, running from the water heater and the supply.

One line is for hot water, which is from the water heater, and the other, which is for cold water, runs directly from the supply.

While it is easy to understand how individual knobs work, understanding how to single-handle faucets and adjust water temperature isn’t self-explanatory.

You can’t just see from the outside and guess how it works.

Conclusion

As much as these devices control the water flow, there are cases where it malfunctions such that it flows too high or too low.

Aside from restrictors that regulate water flow, anti-scald valves are used for adjusting the water temperature to limit the level of hotness in the flowing water, as explained above.

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