Three Handle Shower Diverter Repair 

Aww 🥰 thanks for the nice comments. Middle-class comfort is not that hard to find, you can do it!

I aim to help 😌 - Kent

aint that the truth, not even this old house was as detailed.

So glad it worked out

Hey Jonathon, I'm having the same problem. A plumber tried replacing the entire diverter valve, but it still didn't work. Half's coming out of the spout and half coming out of the showerhead. Would you share what you did?

Thank you for the nice comments. It’s actually pretty easy job. I’m sure you can do it!

Thank you.

You're welcome. Glad to be of some help

Glad to be of some help. RockOn!

You can do it!

Thanks for the kind words. I know what it's like to be in a bind and get the help needed to get out. YOu're welcome Sir.

Super. Glad to be of some help

THIS IS THE BEST USE OF THE RU-vid 👍

Glad it was helpful

Go to ACE hardware. They carry the rebuild kits. It's better to rebuild the valve than to buy replacement stems, since the stems are worn into the existing valve body that's inside the wall. Enjoy the project! - Kent

Thanks

So glad to be of some help

RockOn John! Thanks for the kind words and I hope ya get yer diverter sorted out and have a good time doing it :) - Kent

Rick0n!

Yes the diverter valve stem, if you bought the entire new assembly will come with the all the seals. But sometimes it's better to just buy the seals, the packing, the nylon ring and rebuild the existing stem. Since it's worn in and fits well parts in the wall (brass is soft). A woman put in a new stem and it leaked and didn't work well. ;-( So she pulled the old stem out of the garbage, put the seals, packing, ring on, re-installed and it worked :-) Then she subscribed. I have almost 1000 subscribers. A magic number to help boost my youtube channel . Anyway, rebuild your existing stem, it will work best. Best - Kent

Haha - thanks

Right on! Glad to be of some help. Lots of people have been able to resolve this on their own. Including some gals.

Turning the water off for the diverter valve repair is not necessary. However, if you open the hot or cold water you're gonna get some water out of the diverter. Kent

@@KentSchneeveis Thank you Kent!

add some penetrating oil, rust buster, wd40, something like that. lightly tap on it. Be audacious, can-do solution based thinking... it'll come off √

@@KentSchneeveis thank you so much! I’m not gonna give up!

I have not done a video on how to replace one of those, but it's similar. But you have to shut off the water to the house. It's not difficult. You can do it!

The rebuild kits always come with extra stuff. Only use the things that are right for your job

It’s the same principal. You got this!

Good point! That would be one valid solution. Kudos to you! Thanks for the perspective 😅

Not necessary to turn off the water to the house since you're only servicing the diverter. Just don't open the hot or cold water ;-)

lightly tap on it with a small hammer while using a penetrating oil . You'll get it!

Yes

No. The diverter valve gets water from the other valves being opened, so if the hot and cold are off there's no water to divert.

@@leviwhatever6192 You're right! The water to the house does NOT need to be shut off to do this job. My bad. It is a good idea however to locate the main shut off, and verify that it's working, before starting plumbing jobs. Just in case the water needs to be turned off quickly it can be done.

@@leviwhatever6192 thank you! I've been wanting to repair the diverter valve in my apartment. But getting the water shut off is a whole hoopla that I'd rather not go through!

@@stacyrivas2802 In apartment buildings you almost certainly have a water shutoff valve at the bottom of each spigot directly behind the plate, it's just a flathead screwdriver needed to shut off. Houses have different valves.

Get the one that says Delta. What I do is buy as many repair kits as I can - that I think may work. Then I return the ones that I didn't use. You can do it!

Did you remember to put that nylon ring in there. Without that water will still come out of the faucet.

@@KentSchneeveis yep. Got the nylon ring. Wondering if I need to tackle the valve seat?

@@divaslive3 If it doesn't lean when the valves are both off, that means the seats are good. Sounds like it's only leaking what the diverters is turned to the shower. If that's the case you may have to go into the center diverter again and double check

Good news update! I did go ahead and replace the valve seat behind the diverter. Still had about 50/50 water to shower and thru the faucet. I hadn’t thought it important detail - but rather than building up my old diverter as you’d done in this video - I’d simply purchased a new one that, to my eye, seemed to be the exact same as the original. Thought this would be easier but after all the struggles, I decided to retrieve the original from the trash can and rebuilt it with a kit, just as you did in this video. Now all works as expected!!! Not sure why the new PP diverter wasn’t fit for the job? Anywho...really you doing this video and for your help! Thank you!

@@divaslive3 Go team! Good for you for retrieving the original parts from the trash (the trash can is actually a good resource and should be viewed as valuable) Countless times I go back to the trash, praying it's not been taken out. Now I keep it around until well after the job is done. So happy! Proud of you! Team fix!

The thread locker keeps the handle from becoming loose and wearing out. If you put the thread locker on, you might not have to replace it so frequently.

Thanks for taking the time to make the video sir. I am a retired paramedic and not much of a home fixer. I have a three stem shower like yours that a friend of mine put in last week before he moved. I'm familiar with one mistake he made and that was he unscrewed the cartridge because he said he realized he put it in the wrong hole or something and it shot out in water went everywhere because he forgot to turn the water off. So we fixed all that and put everything together and said you're good to go. What I find strange now is that shower is the only shower where are the pipes are super loud when you turn the hot or cold on I have copper pipes. It's the only one of the three bathrooms that makes the loud noise when the water is flowing. I read somewhere that it sounds like an obstruction. I'm not quite sure what that means but can you tell me if I just take all three cartridges out and put three new ones in could that clear out the obstruction part. The bathroom was quiet before he took out the old and put the new in. The sound is generated from the hot or the cold side but apparently when you turn the diverter to shower head all the noise goes away and the water flows quietly if that means anything. My handles are Chrome with the white decorative fingers and a set screw on each handle. I honestly can't tell you if it's brass or white plastic cartridge inside. The hot comes out hot the cold comes out cold and the shower head does work with the diverter but it only gets quiet when you convert it to shower head if you let it run out of the tub spout you can hear it on every floor of the house

Hi Ben - I'm not sure. But I don't think so. White lithium grease is a whole different beast than plumbers silicon grease.

What up Mark. Start taking it apart and I bet you will see what brand it is. Your local hardware store may very well have the rebuild kit you need to fix. You got it!

@@KentSchneeveis thanks for reply. Understood.

RockOn!

take off the shower head and see if any debris comes out.

Same thing for me man

Not sure the model. If you search for 3 handle PP tub and shower valve just get that rebuild kit brother Byron

sounds like the issue is with the shower head not the diverter valve

With all due respect, I was raised in a machine shop, oxygen acetylene welding at five years old. MIG welding, cutting, fabricating metal. I’ve worked as a motorcycle, mechanic, Worked with licensed plumber. In my experience on job sites you are right, most guys I would not want them doing any painting on my job.