bathtub spout diverter.........need a temp fix

[kappo50]

Girlfriend is gonna remodel her 2nd bathroom this spring. Meantime her

son has started using it for showers. Meantime when you pull the diverter thingy up, half the water still goes out the spout and down the drain. That's a lot of hot water being wasted, eh ? I know the spout unscrews from the pipe inside the wall for easy replacement. But I don't want to risk causing a leak inside the wall. Since the tub is used ONLY for showers, I'm thinking just plug it shut until she has the bathroom remodelled. So is there a good way to do this ?

thanks

[Stu]

It depends what type you have as you said you pull the diverter. Is the diverter part of the spout or separate? Also that your connection for the spout is inside the wall. It sounds like your diverter is the problem and if easy to get to should not be a problem to change. If the connection for the spout is actually buried in the wall I wouldn't bother disturbing it if you are due for a refit soon. Don't forget depending on your water system you will probably have to turn off the water on the hot feed. I have seen an old style combi boiler that had been fitted without the means to turn off the hot water outlet and the owner had to switch off the cold inlet and drain it first. If still in doubt do nothing or get a plumber.

Stu

[Jeff Wisnia]

A wine bottle cork in the mouth of the spout and some Duck tape to hold it in ought to do the trick.

Jeff

[Stu]

Top idea Jeff and def best idea if it getting ripped out soon.

Stu

[Goedjn]

Oh, like THAT's not likely to cause a leak.

Unscrew the spout, and screw a cap on the stub-out.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Methinks you're being too judgemental, sir.

He already SAID he was scared to start unscrewing the spout himself, and a little weepage from an imperfectly fitting cork would be tolerable.

There's hardly full line pressure there to pop it out unless someone were to throttle down the shower head unreasonably.

He's only seeking a quick fix for a few months.

Jeff

[Jim Yanik]

Goedjn wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Actually,some screw onto the stub sticking out from the pipe in the wall,some fit over a copper stub and are held on by a collet and setscrew. It all depends on how old your house is.

You can buy replacement tub spouts at Lowes that fit onto the stub sticking out from where the old spout used to be. Mine cost me $12 USD. It works great.It had various adapters to fit different sized pipes.

It may take some searching to find the right one on the shelves.

[Don Young]

It seems to me that there might be a significant spray from a leak around the diverter shaft, especially if it is old and corroded. But it wouldn't hurt to give it a try and the whole business could possibly be taped up well.

Don Young

[Goedjn]

The problem is that the way some cheap tub-spouts are designed, this may create a pressurized pocket in a place where there isn't supposed to be any, in the plastic spout, but outside the stubout. If I did that on my tub, the water leak would blow right past the foam-rubber gasket where the spout buts up against the wall, and flood the wall cavity. If if it doesn', you need to find a way to keep your cork in place against a 6 foot water column.

OP should just get over his phobia and take the spout off. IF he's gonna demo the whole bathroom in a few months, he needs the practice anyway.