Howdy, hope someone can give me some advice on this sticky problem I'm having. Just recently the diverter knob (it's a pull-out type) has been sticking a bit, not pulling out all the way. The result is the water comes out of both the tub faucet AND the shower head, at half-pressure from both. It SEEMS to have happened all of a sudden, but the diverter knob/valve has never really been a clean pull. Dismantling the diverter valve looks like a challenge, I'm not sure it will even unscrew from the pipe. Is it possible that the problem is some build-up of calcium or sediment or something? And if so, can I pipe something like vinegar or CLR in through the shower head pipe to try to clean it out? When I work the diverter knob in and out carefully but firmly, I can get varying degrees of pressure.

Thanks for any advice you can give me!!

- Doug

speedball1

Good morning Doug, Before I can help I have to know what I'm dealing with. What brand of shower valve? A model# would be nice. A diverter's a simple device. You won't have to remove the entire valve. Without knowing any specifics I can give you general instructions. Remove the face plate. The diverter retaining nut securing the diverter plunger should now be visible. Unscrew the nut and clear out the mineral build up from the plunger and the valve body. reassemble and try it now. Good luck, Tom

DeBaked

Hi Tom, thanks for the response. I don't know model or brands, sorry. The feedback you've provided is in line with other opinions I've solicited so if I can get my hands on some deep sockets I will try taking the diverter valve off myself. I did try the vinegar flush but it didn't have much effect.

Thanks again for the response, muchly appreciated.

Doug

DeBaked

Just an update if anyone is still following along here. It turns out that there is no retaining nut on this plunger/valve. The faceplate comes off no problem, exposing the copper pipe. The diverter knob/stem goes straight into the pipe and joins flush up against the end of the pipe. I have to assume that the pipe is threaded on the inside, and that is how the diverter knob is joined to the pipe. Is this logical? If not, how else would the diverter be attached to the copper pipe, soldered on?

At any rate, all the pushing and pulling and flushing I've done during this process has the diverter working at about 80%, so we are business as usual in the shower in the meantime.

Doug

speedball1

Hey Doug, I'm still here. Have you lubed the stem with WD40 or some grease? Not having the specs. on the valve puts me at a disadvantage but a threaded stem sounds correct. Let me know if I can be of further service. Regards, Tom

DeBaked

Conclusion - the diverter valve was indeed pretty standard, and a huge pipe wrench and a bit of heat did the trick in getting it unscrewed from the pipes. The local home depot store had a replacement valve exactly the same as the one that came out, so CA$16 later, I was back in business. The problem turned out to not be the diverter valve, but a broken piece of rubber washer! When the old valve came out, I could see a bit of something inside the pipe. I tweezered it out and a broken half of a rubber washer came out. I put the new valve in anyway and it worked fine. I was expecting to sometime find the other half of that washer and sure enough, about a week later the showerhead started acting like it was blocked. I took off the head and there was the other half of the washer. The whole thing works like a charm now, no drips from either faucet or shower! Come to think of it, I think the rubber washer may have been from the old diverter valve itself. Ever since we bought the house three years ago, there had always been a bit of a drip in the faucet and shower.

Anway, was just browsing through and thought I'd bring this thread to a conclusion, and thanks to you again for the help.

Doug