How to Replace a Bathtub Spout Shower Diverter
How to Replace a Bathtub Spout
Cutaway photos show how to replace the three most common types of bathtub spouts when they are leaking or broken.
Time
An hour or less
Complexity
Beginner
Cost
Less than $20
Introduction
Replacing a broken bathtub spout is a simple, inexpensive project. In this article, we'll show you the most common types of spouts, and how to replace them. Even if you've never tackled a plumbing project before, you can handle replacing the spout. And don't worry. You don't need any special skills or plumbing tools.
Tools Required
Materials Required
- Nipples
- Silicone caulk
- Spout
- Thread tape
Project step-by-step (3)
Step 1
How to replace a tub spout
Unscrew the old nipple
Unscrew the old nipple with a pipe wrench. If the nipple is too short to grab with a wrench, use an "internal" pipe wrench ($10).
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Step 2
Install the new nipple
Wrap both ends of the new nipple with thread tape and screw it into the fitting inside the wall. Seal around it with silicone caulk and screw on the new spout. Bathtub spouts can go bad in three ways: First, the tub spout diverter can wear out so it no longer blocks the water flow and sends water to the shower head. Second, the threads inside the spout can crack or corrode where the spout screws onto the pipe. Water can then trickle along the pipe and drip inside the wall. Finally, the spout's finish can flake off or corrode.
Replacement is the solution to any of these problems. A new spout ($10 to $20) and everything else you might need are available at hardware stores and home centers. But before you buy a new spout, determine what type you need. First look under the spout. If you see a setscrew (Photo A), you have a "slip-on" spout.
The setscrew might be smaller and harder to see than the one shown here; you may need a flashlight to spot it. Replacing a slip-on spout is easy: Just loosen the setscrew (usually with a hex wrench) and pull the spout off the copper pipe that protrudes from the wall. Twist the spout as you pull and be gentle so you don't loosen any pipe connections inside the wall. Then slide on the new spout and tighten the setscrew.
If the spout doesn't have a setscrew, it's a screw-on spout (Photos B and C). Twist the old spout counterclockwise to remove it. If the pipe that protrudes from the wall is copper with a threaded fitting (Photo B), simply cut off the fitting with a tubing cutter ($10) and install a new slip-on spout (Photo A). If the pipe coming out of the wall is steel (Photo C), you need a new screw-on spout.
Ideally, the new spout will fit perfectly onto the old pipe. But there's a good chance that the pipe protrudes too far or not far enough. There's also a chance that the threads are too corroded for you to screw on a new spout. Either way, you'll have to remove the old pipe (Photo 1) and screw in a new pipe of the correct length (Photo 2). Short sections of threaded pipe (called "nipples") are usually available in 1-in. increments. They cost less than $2 each, so buy a couple of different lengths and save yourself a trip back to the store.
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Step 3
Spout types
Slip-on spouts
Slip-on spouts slide over 1/2-in. copper pipe and fasten with a setscrew. This "universal" version also has threads inside, so it can screw onto threaded pipe.
Screw-on spouts
Screw-on spouts have threads deep inside. They can connect to a copper threaded fitting or to steel pipe.
Screw-on spouts with threads at the back end
Screw-on spouts may have threads at the back end. Most come with a bushing so they fit either 1/2-in. or 3/4-in. pipe.
These are the three most common types of spouts.
Tip:
Plumbers tell us that leg-shaving is the leading cause of tub spout trouble. The spout makes a convenient footrest for shaving, but that can damage the tub spout diverter or loosen pipe connections.
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Source: https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-replace-a-bathtub-spout/#:~:text=Replacing%20a%20slip%2Don%20spout,spout%20and%20tighten%20the%20setscrew.