Shower Diverter keeps breaking

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Joe Thomas

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Aug 31, 2019
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I have a Shower Diverter that keeps stuck having issues, where water goes to Both the Tub Spout and the Shower Head. We have replaced two shower spouts with diverters in the last month. Is there an underlying issue which can keep causing this? The shower diverters keep having issues, regardless if I get new ones.
 

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All the diverter consists of is a small slab of plastic or metal, with rubber seal, that slides-upward and closes off water going down to the tub. They always leak a little water; best I've been able to figure out is that water pressure itself, is what keeps them "sealed" in the UP position.
Here's a fix you might try... LINK

Just because diverter spout is "new", doesn't mean it's fresh stock, rubber washer/seal could be dry, or just need lubrication - have any silicone grease,or spray??
 
If your water pressure is super high, it can be damaging or overloading the spout diverter.
You might need a pressure reducing valve at the water meter.
Also, do not operate the diverter to change the flow from shower head to tub spout, while under pressure.
Just turn the water off, the diverter should release by itself, and you will not be forcing the rubber seal across hard metal while under pressure.
 
Jeff Handy said:
If your water pressure is super high, it can be damaging or overloading the spout diverter.
You might need a pressure reducing valve at the water meter.
Also, do not operate the diverter to change the flow from shower head to tub spout, while under pressure.
Just turn the water off, the diverter should release by itself, and you will not be forcing the rubber seal across hard metal while under pressure.
Click to expand...


I live in California by the way, I removed the water restrictor in my shower head, because the standards are too low here, however, I have many apartment neighbors who have done the same thing, they have not seen issues

do you think this is a problem?
 
Joe Thomas said:
I live in California by the way, I removed the water restrictor in my shower head, because the standards are too low here, however, I have many apartment neighbors who have done the same thing, they have not seen issues

do you think this is a problem?
Just to be fair, this building has been up for 40 years, so it was able to manage when the water limits were higher
Click to expand...
 
Water flow and water pressure are not the same thing.

Removing your flow restrictor in your shower head would actually reduce the wear and tear on your tub spout diverter, due to less back pressure.

But still, if your water pressure from the city is high, it can wear out the tub spout diverter.

Meanwhile, you may have been buying junky tub spouts from China, so try getting a quality one that has beefier guts inside.
No plastic, heavy solid metal with brass guts with good rubber seals.

And as has already been stated, you will always get some water coming out of the spout, even when it is set to come out of the shower head.
The diverter does not have a complete seal, just more like a 90 or 95 percent closed seal when diverting water to the shower head.
 
Jeff Handy said:
Water flow and water pressure are not the same thing.

Removing your flow restrictor in your shower head would actually reduce the wear and tear on your tub spout diverter, due to less back pressure.

But still, if your water pressure from the city is high, it can wear out the tub spout diverter.

Meanwhile, you may have been buying junky tub spouts from China, so try getting a quality one that has beefier guts inside.
No plastic, heavy solid metal with brass guts with good rubber seals.

And as has already been stated, you will always get some water coming out of the spout, even when it is set to come out of the shower head.
The diverter does not have a complete seal, just more like a 90 or 95 percent closed seal when diverting water to the shower head.
Click to expand...

ok, I was reading and thought it would from link below, thanks
also, you are right, was buying these Danco plastic ones from Home Depot, because that's practically all they sell in area, will try for a specialty Moen product

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/shower-arm-diverter-pressure-issue.30729/
 
Last edited:
That article is discussing a whole different type of diverter.

That type of diverter is installed up at the shower head, to switch between the fixed shower head and a hand shower that is attached up there.

It has nothing to do with a tub spout diverter that selects between the tub spout or the shower head.
 
I figured out. Apparently I had a shower diverter from the 1980 and 1990s. Those ones were durable/strong enough to pushed down While the Water is running.

The newer shower diverters are cheaply made, and do Not allow this method. In the new shower diverters, water must be stopped First, before the diverter can be pressed down. I went through so many, until someone mentioned. Welcome to the 2020s.
 
Many diverter failures I see are user error.
If showering, don’t smash down on the diverter rod like the hulk when you are done. Just turn off the water and the diverter will usually fall down on it’s own or press down on it when the water pressure is off of it and it will last 10X longer
 
Matt30 said:
Many diverter failures I see are user error.
If showering, don’t smash down on the diverter rod like the hulk when you are done. Just turn off the water and the diverter will usually fall down on it’s own or press down on it when the water pressure is off of it and it will last 10X longer
Click to expand...
yep, thats what I said
 
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