Shower diverter pressure problem?

Question

I have one of those pull-up type diverters for my shower. It leaks a little, but not too bad. For a number of years my shower has made a small knock type noise when the diverter is pulled up and the shower is activated. I have always had good pressure at the shower head.

Just recently, there is no pressure at the shower head when the diverter is pulled. It's like a fast drip. There is no more knocking noise when the diverter is pulled. I have removed the shower head and the results are the same - virtually no water flow.

I'm guessing that there is some kind of flap or valve that gets activated when the diverter blocks the flow of water? Is this something repairable? I have considered pouring CLR back down the shower head to the valve.

We have a whole house filter and don't have many other water quality issues. The other showers in the house work fine. The manufacturer is no longer in business and I cannot remember the name although Home Depot still sells repair parts.

Answer 1

so far This Old House has it pegged although there is one point that needs to be addressed.

there is a possibility that a piece has broken off and blown up into the shower riser and is lodged in the pipe.  you won't know this until you replace the broken diverter spout first.

if indeed the new spout doesn't work, you will need to backflush the shower from the shower neck by attaching a garden hose and flushing water from the shower neck down.

good luck

Answer 2

Is it one of those diverters that fit on tub spout(if so replacement is easy) or is it a single handel hot /cold kind of thing(single cartridge) those can be changed(but are some times hard to remove) also Just turn water off take handel and dress kit off and remove the stem wrench,and replace.You may have a pluged pipe from the spout fixture(they are usualy 1/2 in by 5ft long) You can remove/.replace from behind the wall the fixtures are on.

Answer 3

I had a problem like that and replacing the tub spout & diverter solved it. It wasn't difficult, and according to This Old House plumber Richard Trethewey you don't even have to turn off the main water supply. Here's how he tackles the replacement:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/asktoh/q...