What Does Shower Diverter Accomplish
Have you ever wondered about that little lever in your tub/shower combo that lets you switch between bathing or showering? That handy mechanism is known as a shower diverter, and it serves an important purpose in controlling water flow.
What is a Shower Diverter
A shower diverter is a special valve that reroutes water emerging from the tub faucet up to the showerhead above. Essentially, it lets you toggle between using your tub faucet to fill the basin or utilizing the shower. Without a diverter, water would always flow from the tub spout, making showering impossible.
The diverter valve accomplishes this feat by connecting to the outlet pipes behind both the tub spout and the showerhead. When switched into the "tub" position, water flows down the pipe leading to the tub faucet. Turning the diverter to "shower" blocks off the tub spout and redirects water up the riser to the showerhead instead.
Types of Diverter Valves
There are a few common types of tub/shower diverter valve configurations:
- Three-handle diverters have three separate handles controlling hot and cold water plus the diverter valve.
- Two-handle diverters feature hot/cold handles plus a push/pull diverter built into the tub spout.
- Single-handle faucets integrate the diverter into a cartridge controlled by the lone lever.
The specific type you have depends on your particular tub/shower plumbing setup. But they all serve that same critical purpose of toggling water flow between the tub filler and showerhead.
Key Parts of a Diverter
While designs vary, most shower diverters include a few key components:
- Inlet pipes bringing hot and cold water from the supply lines
- An outlet pipe leading down to the tub spout
- A second outlet directing water up to the shower riser
- A valve body with internal passages
- A control knob, handle, or lever to activate the valve mechanism
We'll explore more about how these pieces work together to redirect water next.
How a Shower Diverter Works
Now that you know what a shower diverter is, let's look at how it actually goes about its main task of toggling water flow. The process relies on the diverter's internal valve design.
Basic Mechanism
A shower diverter directs water via an inner valve controlled by the external handle or knob. Inside the valve are a series of passages that channel water either down the tub outlet pipe or up to the showerhead pipe.
When switched to tub mode, the valve passages line up with the tub outlet, allowing water to flow down to fill the basin as needed. Alternately, turning the handle to shower mode realigns those inner passages to connect with the pipe leading up to the showerhead instead.
Diverting from Tub Faucet to Showerhead
The diverter acts as a traffic signal, controlling whether water flows down to the tub or up to the showerhead. This provides flexibility in choosing baths or showers as desired.
Controlling Water Flow Direction
In summary, a shower diverter's valve and handle work together to redirect water between alternative outlets, accomplishing convenient flow control. The diverter serves as a switch dictating which fixture receives water at a given moment.
Without this mechanism, utilizing showers in tub/shower combos would be essentially impossible. So the humble diverter truly fulfills an important role!
Purpose of a Shower Diverter
Now that you understand the basics of what a shower diverter is and how it functions, let's explore why it's an important component of any tub/shower setup.
Redirecting Water from Tub to Showerhead
The shower diverter's primary purpose is convenient redirection of water flow from the standard tub filler spout to the showerhead above. This expands a tub/shower's flexibility. You gain two options for bathing from a single fixture without needing two completely separate units taking up bathroom space.
Choosing Where Water Flows Out
Another goal of a shower diverter is to provide user control over where water emerges at a given moment. Depending on your needs, you can easily direct flow down into the tub or up to the showerhead with a simple flick of the diverter level. This versatility fits with what most homeowners require from their tub/shower combinations.
Save Water When Showering
Using the shower diverter to bathe with your shower also helps conserve water compared to filling the entire tub. Depending on showerhead efficiency and time spent bathing, showering utilises 25-50% less water than a full tub bath.
Given ongoing water supply constraints in many regions, showers supported by a diverter are often a more sustainable bathing solution.
Prevent Dripping Showerheads
Finally, a properly operating shower diverter also keeps water from emerging from the showerhead when you only want to fill the tub. Dripping showerheads waste gallons of water and mess up your bathroom. Proper diverter functioning prevents all these hassles.
As you can see, that humble shower diverter actually serves many helpful purposes!
Troubleshooting Shower Diverter Issues
While indispensable, shower diverters aren't immune to problems after months or years of use. Let's examine some common issues and fixes to keep your diverter working properly.
Dealing With Leaks
One frustration that often crops up is water leaking from the tub spout after you've flipped the diverter to shower mode. This wastes water and indicates worn seals inside the diverter valve.
Carefully inspect and replace any visibly damaged internal seals that are causing leakage. Be sure to turn off water supplies before working on your diverter.
Preventing Dripping Showers
On the flip side, you may encounter drips from the showerhead while trying to fill your tub. This happens when mineral buildup or debris prevents the diverter from fully closing off flow up to the shower.
Try scrubbing the showerhead jets and valve passages with a safe cleaner. If that fails, replace any sticky or damaged washers and o-rings to prevent dripping.
Fixing Stiff Valve Operation
It's also common for shower diverter valves and handles to become stiff or overly tight over time. This hampers switching between tub and shower modes.
Lubricate sticky valve components with plumber's grease and work the handle back and forth. If needed, replace rigid o-rings or worn valve components so your diverter operates smoothly again.
Finally, shower diverters can sometimes limit water pressure up to the showerhead after prolonged use. Besides sealing leaks, inspect the showerhead, arm, and supply hose for obstructions trapping debris or mineral buildup.