My bathtub faucet is possessed. Whenever I turn on the taps to fill the bath, water comes out of the faucet as it is supposed to. Unfortunately it also comes out under the faucet where it is attached to the tiled wall. It does not drip or leak at any other time.I am concerned that when the water comes out it is going behind the tiled wall and doing all kinds of horrible things. Someone suggested that it might just need a new washer, but I know nothing about plumbing. If possible I would like to fix it myself. ANy one have any suggestions? Here's hoping it is not dripping down to the ceiling below! Thanks for any advice.
Barb from Montreal

 

If it is leaking behind the tub spout, wrap the spout in a washcloth to prevent marring by the wrench and unscrew it counter-clockwise. Add 2-3 wraps of teflon tape to the threads that the spouts screws onto CLOCKWISE ONLY, and screw it back on.
If it leaking behind the faucet handle, you need to tell us what type you have (Brand? Single-lever? Two-handle?).
Good Luck!

 

Old Guy is right (as usual) if it is a threaded pipe to your spout. Check to see if you have a set screw on the underside of the spout (a mirror will help). If you do, it will be either an allen set screw or a slotted set screw, that will have to be loosened. You may find you have a 1/2 inch copper tube feeding the tub spout. Make sure you caulk, with silicon caulk, where the copper tube goes into the tile or wall. If it is a copper tube, your spout is probably full of mineral deposits, and it is cheaper to replace than clean. Let us know what you find.

Good luck,

Rick

 

After you unscrew the spout, also look for an "O" ring that may need to be replaced.

 

I'm glad you are already on this topic! What I need to know is when you put the spout back on - do you just slide it back onto the copper pipe and tighten the allen screw or do you need to put a little sealant or something in there too?

 

You might want to make sure the where the copper tube goes thru the wall is sealed, other than that, just slide it on and tighten the allen screw. You don't want silicone sealant on the spout, because it will make future removal/replacement (and there will be one) difficult.

Rick

 

Thanks for your help! It is great to get help so quickly and in terms I can understand! I will only have time to take the faucet apart this weekend and hopefully all will go well. IF there are more leaks I will let you know.
Thank you!!!
Barb

 

Thank you for your posts! You've already answered a couple of my questions (such as how to remove the spout from the wall.) The diverter on my shower is not working - when it's lifted as far as possible, water sprays hard from the spout, as well as through the shower head. A friend had looked at this several months ago and mentioned that if there were any more problems, it should be replaced. At the hardware store tonight I found a "diverter gate replacement" kit. There are few instructions with it. Are diverter gates universal? From the sketch in the package, it looks like these will just slip into place in the spout. Any pointers as to what I should watch for or could it be that this will actually be relatively simple?

 

I would remove the spout first to take a good look at it to see if you can tell if it is corroded or just has mineral buildup around the diverter.
You may be able to soak the diverter end of the spout in white vinegar overnight to dissolve mineral buildup. (Do the same with your showerhead, while you're at it.)
I've always just replaced the spout with the exact same type that is on there, when there has been any corrosion damage.
They're inexpensive.
Good Luck!

 

Thank you OldGuy! You saved me about $7 for this diverter kit. I didn't see any great amount of build-up, but soaked the spout in vinegar, replaced it and it's working wonderfully! I appreciate your help!