Repair your shower the easy way
- Soak your faucet in vinegar to get rid of dirt and hard water residue.
- Spray the diverter knob with cooking spray to lubricate its sticky bits.
- Replace the shower diverter gate using a store-bought repair kit.
- Replace the whole spout with a newer model from the hardware store.
Full Answer
How to fix a stuck shower diverter?
This is how to proceed:
- Look for a small (preferably clear) plastic bag.
- Fill it with vinegar all the way to the ½ or ¾ mark.
- Bring the vinegar with you inside the bathtub and push the spout inside the vinegar so that most it (and especially the shower diverter knob) is immersed in the vinegar. ...
- Leave the solution in place for 12 hours or preferably overnight.
How do I know if my diverter valve is faulty?
- Unscrew the set screw. See how the spigot is attached to the wall.
- Unscrew spigot from the wall. Be careful!
- Wash Supply Pipe. Make sure that you clean off any bits of gunk from the supply pipe.
- Replace new spout on the copper pipe.
- Test it and make sure it works!
How to troubleshoot a Kohler shower diverter?
Remove the Diverter Button
- If your trim has a diverter button, remove the button before attempting to remove the valve trim. ...
- Diverter buttons can be removed one of three ways. Follow the appropriate instructions below to remove your diverter button.
- You may need the following tools to remove your diverter button: 1/16” hex wrench, flat-blade screwdriver, and a pliers.
How to repair a Moen Mixing valve for a shower?
- M-CORE Transfer Valves can control 2 or 3 showering devices, a simple transfer cartridge modification changes the valve’s flow from two outlets to three outlets
- When using 2 showering devices, the valve has 2 independent and 1 shared functions
- When using 3 showering devices, the valve has 3 independent and 3 shared functions
How to tell if a shower diverter is a two valve or three valve?
What to do if your diverter gate is stubborn?
How to stop a handheld shower from leaking?
What does a shower valve do when it is not working?
Why does my diverter gate keep squeaking?
How to clean a spout with vinegar?
See more
What is a shower diverter?
A shower diverter is the mechanism that reroutes the water from your bathtub faucet to your showerhead. Many shower diverters are controlled by a pin knob that you pull, but there are many types. Maybe yours is turned on with a button or with a third faucet handle between the bathtub’s hot and cold knobs.
How to replace a diverter?
Replace the diverter. To be sure you purchase the correct replacement, bring your old diverter with you to the store. Install the new diverter, making sure that the parts do not cross-thread each other. Use a wrench to tighten the diverter, being cautious not to overtighten it.
Why is my shower diverter not working?
If, after you trigger your shower diverter, water continues to leak out of the bathtub spout rather than the showerhead, the shower diverter is not working properly. This could mean that the inner rubber stopper isn't creating a good seal to fully block and redirect the flow of water, or it could be another problem.
How do I fix a leaky bathtub drain?
Seal off your drain with tape so that small screws or other important parts are not lost down the drainpipe. Tighten the screws behind the faceplate of the diverter valve. If you attempt this fix but the water continues to pour or leak slowly from the bathtub spout after the shower diverter has been engaged, move on to the next step. ...
How to contact Mr Rooter?
Call Mr. Rooter at (855) 982-2028 or request an estimate today. With your newly upgraded bathroom fixture, consider making improvements to the rest of your bathroom. Contact your local Mr. Handyman for bathroom upgrade help. Their professionals can help you save space and improve your bathroom overall.
Can you turn on a shower when the diverter breaks?
Turning on your shower should be as easy as the flip of a switch. But when your shower diverter breaks, taking a shower is not so easy—water continues to pour from your tub’s faucet after you’ve switched the diverter. Luckily, repairing a shower diverter is quick and fairly simple.
How to make sure water is coming out of shower head?
1. Start this process by ensuring that the water is coming out of the tub faucet and not the shower head. Although it is not necessary to turn off your water supply, you want to make sure that if water does start coming, you don’t get soaked in the process! 2.
What tool to remove a screw from a faucet?
2. Note that the tool to remove the screw could be an Allen Wrench, Flat Head Screwdriver, or a Phillips Head Screwdriver. 3.
How to remove a knob from a sandbox?
Start by removing the knob. Find the screw, if not visible it is located under the plastic button which will need to be popped off using a small flathead screwdriver. 1. Once the knob has been removed, use your hand or a handle remover to remove the base.
Is it bad to have a shower faucet leaking?
It is never a good thing when your shower tub faucet starts leaking, but it is a good thing when you know what to do to fix it! As long as you have the time, tools, and parts for the job you can definitely learn how to fix shower diverter all on your own!
How To Know If Shower Diverter Valve Is Broken?
Shower diverters are important plumbing pieces that help regulate where the water in your shower goes. If this part of the system is broken, it can lead to some costly and unpleasant surprises later on. To check if a problem with your shower diverter valve has occurred, take a look at these symptoms:
How to Repair Your Shower Diverter
Step 1: Turn off the water supply to your shower diverter valve. This can be done by turning off the shutoff valve that is located on or near it or unscrewing a hose from its inlet and outlet ends. Making sure there’s no pressure coming out of this part of the system will help you avoid any possible further harm while working with it.
How To Replace a Shower Diverter Valve
If your shower diverter valve is broken, the best way to fix it will be by replacing it. This can be done in as little as an hour and with just a few easy steps that are outlined below!
Final Words
If you found this article helpful on how to repair your shower diverter, please share it with your friends and family. We know that when a shower diverter gets clogged or broken, the last thing on one’s mind is how to fix it.
What is a shower diverter?
Your shower diverter is a mechanism that directs water from your bathtub faucet up to the showerhead. There are three main variations of the diverter valve: the three-valve diverter, two-valve diverter, and tee-diverter. Each has its own use. Three-valve diverters are for showers with two-tap faucets. Two-valve diverters are used in showers ...
What happens if my shower diverter isn't working?
If it isn’t working properly, then water will flow out of both your faucet and your showerhead whenever you use either.
What is a three valve diverter?
Three-valve diverters are for showers with two-tap faucets. Two-valve diverters are used in showers with a single-dial temperature adjuster. Tee-diverters are the most common type of diverter. If you pull up on your diverter to send water from the faucet to the showerhead, then it’s a tee-diverter.
What happens if you break a shower diverter?
A broken shower diverter leads to a subpar bathing experience and it wastes water. That means increased water bills and generally bad times in the future. The kind of bad times you can easily avoid. If you ever need help with your home’s shower repairs, never hesitate to call the team at Ben Franklin.
Where should the water flow from the shower spout go?
The water flowing from the spout should go straight to the showerhead. Water should only flow out of either the faucet or the shower heat, never both. Give yourself a pat on the back for a DIY plumbing repair job well done! Don’t take your time getting this fixed as soon as you notice problems.
How to stop water from seeping in drain?
Seal off the drain. Use duct tape or something similar that can catch any small screws that get away from you. You don’t want to lose anything in your pipes.
How to tell if shower diverter is bad?
The signs of a bad shower diverter are a leaking bathtub faucet when the shower is on, not enough hot water, unbalanced/irregular water flow, sticky handle/knob or a sudden gash of hot water when someone flushes the toilet or runs another appliance.
How long does it take to replace a shower diverter valve?
How to Replace a Shower Diverter Valve in 10 Minutes. If you have a shower-bathtub combination in your bathroom, you then surely have a shower diverter which as its name suggests diverts water to the shower head from the tub spout and back to the spout when needed.
How many handles does a shower faucet have?
Double handle shower faucet. Here you will have 2 shower faucet handles, one for the cold water and the other one for the hot water. You will also have a pull-up shower diverter at the top of the bathtub spout. Three handle shower faucet.
What is an escutcheon on a valve?
An escutcheon is the trim plate which hides the valve opening on the wall. The escutcheon will either be threaded on the valve stem or held in place using a retaining nut. Before attempting to remove the escutcheon, check if it is caulked to the wall. If it is, cut through the caulk with a putty knife.
What is the middle handle of a shower?
As I had mentioned earlier, the middle handle/valve is usually the shower diverter valve. Water flows from both the hot and cold faucet valve and when it reaches the shower diverter it flows either to the bathtub spout/spigot or shower head depending on the position of the valve.
Why does my shower head not have a spout?
When the rubber washer is in contact with the valve seat, a watertight seal is created allowing water to flow to the shower head but not tub spout. With the time, due to the friction between the rubber washer and the valve seat, the washer starts to wear out, failing to seal properly.
How to check if a shower head is leaking?
Turn on the water and divert it to the shower head and check if the pressure and temperature are good. Check if the bathtub spout is leaking with the shower turned on. Divert the water to the tub spout and check as well if everything is at it should.
How to tell if a shower diverter is a two valve or three valve?
When you remove a tee-valve from the wall, you find a single copper pipe. With two-valves and three-valves, you’ll find the corresponding number of copper pipes . If your shower diverter is a two-valve, focus on the temperature dial. This is because it often doubles as a shower diverter gate.
What to do if your diverter gate is stubborn?
If your diverter gate stays stubborn after your vinegar soak, try using a lubricant to make it work better. Any cooking spray will do, and you probably have some in the kitchen.
How to stop a handheld shower from leaking?
When you want to stop your handheld showerhead from leaking, you need to clean the inner parts of your diverter gate. Step 1: Turn off your water supply from the main spigot. This prevents flooding.
What does a shower valve do when it is not working?
If your bathtub has a showerhead, your shower valve redirects water from the showerhead to the tub faucet. When it’s not working, water simultane ously pours from both outlets. It’s easy to fix, so let’s learn how. Shower valves have two parts:
Why does my diverter gate keep squeaking?
Option 1 – Clean your spout. Sometimes, the diverter gate gets stuck. When you try to turn it or pull it up, it refuses to budge or makes squeaky, grating noises. If you do manage to pull it up, it may stick at the top and refuse to push back down. This is probably due to accumulated dirt, grease, and limescale.
How to clean a spout with vinegar?
If you like, you can mix the vinegar with water. Step 3: Wrap the plastic bag around your spout, submerging the spout. Step 4: Hold the bag in place using a rubber band, string, or shoe-lace. Step 5: Leave the faucet submerged for three or four days, checking it once a day.