# Tub faucet leak when shower is on?



## sbattisti

Hi folks, first post here.

I fall squarely into the category of "severely home improvement inept". So, if you are kind enough to respond to this thread, please assume the following:

a. If it's a tool other than a hammer, I probably need detailed instructions about what the tool is. 

b. If it's something I have to buy that could POSSIBLY have more than one size, type, or model, please help me figure out exactly which one to buy, because I am genetically predisposed to selecting the wrong one!

So, in other words, while I appreciate your help in advance, please don't say "Oh, no problem, just whammus the frammus with a 3/8" circular frindebund!"

OK, caveat over, here's my deal:

I just moved into an 18-year old townhouse, with various small projects I need to tackle. The first thing I'm curious about is my shower. It's a standard bathtub, with the faucet with the little plug you pull up to turn the shower on. The knob is a push-off/pull-on single knob.

I have two problems:

1. When I pull up the plug with the water running, about half of the water comes out of the faucet, instead of the shower head, with the result that the shower has very poor water pressure. (Well, I'm not 100% certain the two are related, but I suspect this to be the case.)

2. The entire shower unit seems to be "loose." That is, if I grab the shower knob and pull gently, both the knob and the faucet will move simultaneously. I can push/pull them about 1/2" in either direction.

So, any suggestions as to how I can fix these issues, or is this plumber material?

Thanks very much in advance!

Steve


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## majakdragon

sbattisti, we have all been where you are at one time or another. That's why DIY sites are so popular.
Your problem is in the tub spout. It is called a diverter and when you lift the knob, it blocks off water through the spout and directs it to the shower head. The fastest and easiest way to fix it is by replacing the spout. There are two types. Look under the spout where it meets the wall. If there is a slot in the bottom of the spout, there is an allen screw that holds the spout on. To remove the spout, unscrew the screw and "twist and pull" on the spout. There are "O" rings that make a seal and these make it a bit stiff to remove. If there is no slot, the spout is threaded onto a pipe. Use channel-locks or a pipewrench and turn counter-clockwise to remove. Take the old spout with you to a Home Improvement store for a replacement. Reverse the procedure to reinstall. The movement you spoke of is probably due to the pipe not being secured to studs when installed. Tough to repair without cutting into the wall.


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## sbattisti

Great, thanks very much for this, I'll give it a try!


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## sbattisti

This may be a tremendously stupid question, but before attempting something like this, do I need to shut off the water to the shower?


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## majakdragon

Nope. Just make sure you don't "bump" the on/off handles while working on the spout. The only time water is at the spout is when the handles are on.


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## sbattisti

Sorry, one more question before I tackle this this weekend.

I noticed that the place where the spout meets the shower wall is currently caulked. Is this something I should repeat once I install the new spout? If so, are there special types of caulk used for such things? I literally have never used caulk in my life, so advice here would be appreciate!

Also, is this the sort of operation that would require "flux"? If so, what's the story there?

Thanks, as always?

Steve


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## majakdragon

You will want to cut/remove the caulk since it will allow easier removal of the spout. Pick up a tube (squeeze tube will work) of tub and tile caulk. Squeeze a bead of the caulk around the new spout to prevent water from running into the wall when using the shower. I like using a spoon dipped in water to smooth out the bead of caulk for a nice finished look. A finger will work but spoons are not as messy. No flux or soldering is necessary.


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## sbattisti

For what it's worth, it turns out it IS the kind of spout that has the slot with the allen screw. I'm tackling this this weekend, wish me luck!! 

majakdragon, when I replace, I ONLY need to replace the spout, right? There should be no need to replace the knobs or anything like that unless there is a problem?


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## majakdragon

You should have nothing but the spout to work on. Remove the caulk, remove the allen screw, twist the spout to break loose any calcium deposits that may be holding it, and then twist and pull steadily outward on the the spout. You don't want to jerk on it since you could break something inside the wall. The "O" ring(s) that seal the spout may give you a bit of a problem but the spout should slide off.


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## sbattisti

Yay, it worked! Thanks so much for your help. It didn't quite go as smoothly as I'd hoped, but it worked out in the end. (Caulk is harder to apply neatly than you might expect...) Can't beat that for $15 and a half an hour of my time.


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## majakdragon

Glad I could help.


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## lava

Sorry to necro-bump this thread guys, but I'm in this same predicament; my bathtub spout leaks when the shower is on. I can fill a few buckets full of water in one shower! It's kind of out of control. My tub spout is the kind that threads onto a pipe and has no diverter control. The diverter control is a knob higher up on the wall. Do I have to take that knob off to get to the diverter?


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## Redwood

Your problem is probably quite different from that of the original poster.

While your diverter valve may be leaking there are many other places that the problem could also be including stem packings, the riser, and the shower arm where it connects to the riser. Another possibility is also the sealing of the walls and escutcheons against water from the shower.

In any case you should stop collecting buckets of water and get the leak fixed before your floor rots out and the tub lands in the basement.


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## lava

So if the tub spout is leaking, then it's likely that something inside the wall may be as well? Good point! I will look into it.


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## Redwood

Rereading this you are saying that water is coming out of the tub spout while the shower is selected?

The diverter valve needs to be replaced/repaired.

I thought you were talking about it leaking elsewhere...


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## lava

Redwood said:


> Rereading this you are saying that water is coming out of the tub spout while the shower is selected?



Yes, that's what I'm saying. Can I find the diverter valve behind the knob on the wall that controls it?


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## Redwood

Yes but repairs are usually accomplished under the handle without opening the wall up...

Do you know what kind of valve you have? If not post a picture of it...


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## lava

Redwood, I went ahead and opened everything up. Didn't have the right wrench so I got one for $6 at Lowes. Once I pulled the diverter out, it was obvious that I had some cracked gaskets. Replaced them for $0.79 and everything is fixed now!


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## Redwood

Nice! :


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## colocowgirlinalaska

Is this the same thing to do with a pull down faucet? Mine is cheap plastic and the water control is not a hot and a cold. It is a rotatin temp. control above the faucet.


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## lava

Nope, different thing. My shower has a hot and cold knob, and a knob in the center that's bathtub when turned all the way to the right and shower when turned all the way to the left. That's the knob I had to remove to get to the diverter.


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## Redwood

colocowgirlinalaska said:


> Is this the same thing to do with a pull down faucet? Mine is cheap plastic and the water control is not a hot and a cold. It is a rotatin temp. control above the faucet.



with those you replace the faucet spout. They either unscrew or have a set screw in the bottom near the wall that locks them in place.

With you saying pull down you may have a Delta RP17453 which I consider a very good one.


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## casblue18

Lava, your problem sounds exactly like what I'm facing.  Which wrench did you need to remove the center shower/faucet selector knob?  And did you use any sealant on the O-rings?


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## lava

There's a special tool you have to buy to remove the diverter, but it's really cheap at Lowes, around $5. It's an aluminum tube with a hex end on it, and you use a screwdriver through holes in the other end to turn it. Nothing else really fits. I did not use any sealant on the o-rings, and I don't even have any drips now.


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## oneluv

I stumbled across this forum searching for a fix to the same problem. I did find a loose screw when I took the spout off and after reattaching it, my water pressure from the tub faucet was great. However, the shower is still very weak and I'm not sure how to tackle that. Any advice? Thanks.


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## Redwood

If your shower is weak and the tub strong as long as the diverter is not leaking excessively I would unscrew the showerhead and check the restrictor for debris.

Some leakage through the diverter is a good thing as it allows the shower riser to drain down and the diverter to release when the shower is shut off. This eliminates the cold surprise....


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## agymof

Hi there,
I have the same issue: the water continues to come out of the faucet when the diverter is fully engaged. I have a 1/2 copper pipe at the faucet. SO... I went to Lowes, purchased a replacement faucet that will go on a 1/2 copper pipe AND a threaded pipe. I applied the "adapter" & o ring onto the copper pipe as per the instructions and tried to tighten the extension tube onto the adapter but cannot get it fully tightened because the retainer ring screw has penetrated the threads on the extension tube and this causes the extension tube to jump off the threads of the adapter when it reaches the hole caused by the retainer screw. BTY the hole was intentionally created so that the retainer ring can be tightened onto the copper pipe. SO... I decided to put the original faucet back on until I could research this problem. However... now (old faucet is re-installed) when I apply the diverter, water spews out of the back of the faucet towards the wall. What have I missed or done wrong?  I have tightened the retainer screw well. 

Thank you!


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## Redwood

You have probably damaged the o-ring inside the adapter from a burr on the edge of the tube.


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## agymof

Well rats! The old faucet came off all in one piece and the o ring must be either stuck inside there or gone. The copper pipe seems pretty smooth but the calcium build-up might have torn the o-ring.

Any suggestions regarding installing the new "universal" faucet using the adapter and extension tube that does not seem to fully tighten? The water squirts back at the wall when the new one is installed but I assumed it was because I cannot get it fully flush with the end of the adapter threads. 

The directions say to cut the copper tube no longer than 2 inches from the wall before installing the new faucet. While I have a copper tube cutter and can easily do that, I was worried about doing that before ensuring that I can get the new faucet on and leak free first. Does it damage the o ring to slide the faucet on and off?

Thanks!


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## Redwood

I'm not sure where you are at and what you have.

If the new spout threads on teflon tape with teflon dope applied over it then threaded on you should be leak free. The connection does need to be tightened as the pipe threads are tapered. If the stub out is too long or, too short the length of the stub out has to be changed.

If you are using a slip on tub spout the stub out has to be within the length specified in the instructions and the end should be beveled or deburred so the o-ring inside the spout is not damaged when putting the spout on. then the locking screw is tightened securing the spout in place against the wall.


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## agymof

Thanks. You sure seem to be a major reason why this web site is beneficial!

The new faucet has an adapter (plastic) that provides for threading the faucet on it over the copper tubing. I think I understand you to say that a)fully threaded b)teflon taped & puttied and c)copper end burr free should all provide for a leak free installation.

My problem is that the inner tube will not fully tighten onto the threaded adapter because of the hole created by the retainer ring screw. I must be doing something wrong because the instructions directed me to create this hole and clear out the excess plastic burr it created before installing the inner tube.

I have the original faucet back on after soaking it in vinegar and it is not currently leaking. Further, it is actually diverting to the shower head now. It would be great, however, to be able to change this out at some point!

Many thanks again for your contributions!


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## Redwood

agymof said:


> My problem is that the inner tube will not fully tighten onto the threaded adapter because of the hole created by the retainer ring screw. I must be doing something wrong because the instructions directed me to create this hole and clear out the excess plastic burr it created before installing the inner tube.



That's where you are losing me.

Usually all you do is slide it on and tighten the screw....


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