For a while I noticed the tub spout in my shower had a slow drip when it was turned off. While
it wasn't losing that much water, it was more of an annoyance because
it would not stop dripping. Also even when the diverter on the spout
was pulled up to turn on the shower, water would still drip out the
bottom. I did a little research to figure out what needed to be done
to fix these problems.
For the the slow drip when turned off,
the cartridge needed to be replaced. This is a cylinder piece that is
behind the handle that lets you turn the water on and off and adjust
the temperature to either hot or cold. This can be done on your own,
but I did have some help to replace this part. The exact steps to
replace can depend on the model of cartridge and faucet you have but
mainly it involves taking off the handle and pulling out the old
cartridge for replacement. Also make sure the water is turned off
before taking out the old cartridge.
Once the cartridge was replaced, it
became so much easier to turn the water on an off. If the knob or
handle in your shower is hard to pull or turn, chances are it could
use a new cartridge. Not only is it much easier to turn on and adjust
but now it no longer has the slow constant drip when the water is
turned off.
Next it was time to replace the tub
spout with the diverter. I picked up a universal tub spout at the
hardware store for about $15. There are a few different kinds of
spouts and different ways they can be attached. Mine was a screw on
kind but some have a little screw on the bottom that must be
unscrewed to pull it off. For the screw on kind, you just twist the
spout in a counter clockwise direction. It might be a little
difficult if it is stuck on there so it may need a little effort.
Once it is off you will be able to see
how to attach the new spout. If it is a universal spout, it will have
directions on how to attach the new spout. Also it is recommended to
use plumbers PTFE tape to put around the threaded parts to help seal
the connections. I actually had to adjust it a couple times and
re-tape it a couple times because it was dripping from the back when
I first put it back on.
Also before putting on the new spout, I
noticed there was some space around the pipe and the wall where you
could see in. I decided to cover up this extra space with some clear
tape to help prevent any water from leaking through and going behind
the wall.
As I installed the new spout, my main
concern was that it might not line up exactly right, but the way it
threads on a little bit at a time and has the rubber washer inside,
it gives it some ability to adjust more than you might expect. To get
a good seal, I found it became pretty snug with the spout facing
upward and then I just turned it an extra half turn to line it up
with the bottom. This gave it a secure fit and seal so no water
dripped out.
Once it is all done, test it out to
make sure everything is working well and there are no leaks from any
of the connections. If there are still leaks, you might have to try
it again and add some more tape and try to tighten it a bit more.
Hope this helps and good luck!
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