Can You Repair Diverter Without Replacing Spout

Your shower diverter is the mechanism that directs water from your bathtub faucet up to the showerhead. When your diverter works properly, it cuts off water to either the faucet or the showerhead. If it isn't working properly, then h2o will flow out of both your faucet and your showerhead whenever you lot apply either.

Diverters naturally clothing out and suspension downward over time, and eventually need repairing or replacing. Luckily, they're reasonably like shooting fish in a barrel to ready. All you lot take to do is follow the instructions below.

What Type of Shower Diverter Do You Have?

A single valve or tee valve shower diverter

There are three main variations of the shower diverter valve:

3-valve diverter – for showers with two-tap faucets.
Two-valve diverter – for showers with a single-dial temperature adjuster.
Unmarried valve or Tee-diverter – pull upwardly to send water from the faucet to the showerhead.

Tee-diverters are the near common shower diverter valve type. We'll discuss how to repair these first.

Repairing Your Tee Valve Shower Diverter

A plumber removes a bathtub waterspout to repair the diverter

Turn off the water. Information technology'southward a lot easier to fix something when y'all aren't worried about seeping water. Yous should accept an access console on the wall behind your shower.
Seal off the drain. Utilize duct tape or something like that can take hold of any modest screws that might fall down the drain.
Loosen the waterspout's set screw. Not all spouts will have one. This is a tiny screw usually on the underside of the spout near the base.
Remove waterspout. Your bathtub faucet will either slide off or unscrew depending on the type.
Remove diverter. This is the pocket-size slice of plastic that slides upward and downwards when you pull the diverter knob. If the diverter is faulty or needs a new washer, replace it using a diverter replacement kit from your local hardware store.
Replace waterspout and test. Your water should exist all directed to your shower caput. If non, may exist due to mineral build up within the spout.
Install new waterspout. If your spout is former and corroded, supervene upon it with a new ane from your hardware shop.

Repair Your Two or Three Valve Shower Diverter

Three shower handles with the middle being the diverter.

To repair your two or 3 valve diverter, you'll need to decide which type yous accept. Your valve is most likely behind a face plate. Turn off your water, encompass your bleed and follow the steps below:

Unscrew handle and faceplate (frequently round, metal) in your tub and have it off to look.
Remove your onetime shower diverter. If information technology has a rotating valve, unscrew the nut at the stem and then pull the whole thing out. If your diverter is recessed behind the wall, you lot'll need a socket or shower faucet wrench to cover the nut and loosen it.
Replace your diverter valve. Take the diverter you just removed to the store to ensure you get the proper replacement. It won't cost a lot, and replacing the entire device is easier and more effective than replacing individual parts.
Install your replacement. Information technology should just accept a few minutes and a trivial finagling to screw back in place. Make sure not to overtighten anything.
Exam your new valve. Turn on your h2o and engage the diverter. The water flowing from the spout should get directly to the showerhead. Water shouldsimplymenses out of either the faucetorthe shower heat, never both.

Don't put off getting your diverter fixed as soon as you notice problems. A broken shower diverter leads to a subpar shower,and information technology wastes water. That means increased water bills and potential water damage inside your walls.

Your Dallas Plumbing Repair Pros

If your shower diverter's non working, or your shower faucet is leaking, we can aid. For all your home's shower repairs, never hesitate to call the team at Ben Franklin. We'll make sure your water ends up where information technology's supposed to.