My Tub Faucet Leaks When Shower Is On

If water is leaking from the tub faucet while the shower is on, that wayward water is robbing the shower of water pressure. The problem, while annoying, is not complicated to repair.

The Culprit

The job of a shower diverter valve is to direct the flow of water away from the tub faucet to the shower. A small amount of water dripping from the tub faucet is normal while the shower is on. When the diverter valve, or some part of it, is malfunctioning, you will have a larger amount of water still flowing from the tub faucet instead of being diverted to the shower.

Prevention/Solution

Removing the screw that holds the valve in place, and then replacing the rubber washer on the diverter valve stem may prevent the leak from the tub faucet. You also can simply install a replacement shower diverter valve.

Considerations

If your shower has a handle that you turn to direct the water to the shower, you must remove this handle to reach the diverter valve. Be advised that sometimes these handles are difficult to remove. If so, a tool called a handle puller will make removing a corroded handle easier.