I live in an apartment. The bathtub faucet has had a hole on the bottom side since I moved here about nine years ago. The hole is directly below the shower diverter. The whole bathtub faucet canNOT be replaced. Need to plug or repair the hole on bottom side of faucet because it has gotten so large most of the water continues to come out of the hole. When the shower diverter is pulled up to activate shower very little water comes out the shower head. Most of water is coming out of the hole on bottom side of bathtub faucet where the bottom of the shower diverter has hit the bottom side of the bathtib faucet making hole larger & larger. Now the hole is so large I am unable to use my shower until hole is plugged or repaired. Replacement of bathtub fixtures is NOT an option. Please let me know how I could plug or cover hole on bottom of bathtub faucet. The hole is exact size of shower diverter approximately 3/4" in length & 1/4" in width. I can actually feel the bottom of the shower diverter coming through the hole when water is off. I can actually push shower diverter up a little through the hole. Other than the hole on bottom of bathtub faucet everything else works properly with my shower & bathtub. Just need to repair or plug that hole. And I have no idea what to use for this repair. Sure hope y'all know of a simple & inexpensive DIY to plug or repair the hole. Thanks, Marcie

 

Yes it can be replaced but should not be your responsibility, contact landlord or whoever receives rent payment!

 

Why do you say it cannot be replaced.

 

Have you notified your landlord yet?

All this while, before the shower stopped working, a lot of water came out of the hole and went straight down the drain when you took a shower. You paid for the water and for the energy used by the water heater.

The bottom part of the bathtub faucet (the spout) will come off but you might break something else if you don't do it right. By having the landlord fix it, as you should, he can't charge you other damage that happens at that moment

Do not tie a bag or a rag around the end of the faucet spout. Water will go back into the wall and down onto the ceiling below and you will be responsible for this flooding.

 

Thanks for imput. The hole has only gotten larger in last few months. Several years ago, several maintenance workers ago, & several management companies ago I was told that the whole shower/bathtub would have to be removed in order to replace the bathtub faucet. Shower/bathtub is one whole piece. There is no way to get behind it to make repairs. So removing whole shower/bathtub would be a major project. So a few years back this maintenance guy said replacing the faucet was not an option unless the leak got so bad that the shower would not spray or if it continued to leak after water was turned off. Neither have occurred. Only the hole has gotten larger in last 6 months due to the diverter slamming the hole in the faucet when water was turned off WITHOUT diverter being switched back to bathtub. So was hoping there might be a way to plug the hole to keep a major repair project outta my only bathroom. Have not told this new management company about the hole getting so large that diverter isn't functioning properly. Thankfully residents do NOT pay for water. We do pay for the natural gas that heats the water. But my hot water usage has not increased. So I've not had extra cost due to the hole becoming larger. However hole will only get bigger. So if hole cannot be plugged or patched management will have to remove whole shower/bathtub to replace bathtub faucet. Again thanks for imput.

 

Marcie–

I may not understand and you may have some special setup, but as far as I know you don’t have to get behind the wall to change a tub spout. I don’t see how that would ever be necessary. I’ve replaced a few already.

But if there is a leak behind the wall then that’s another story. However, it sounds like in your case it’s just the spout that needs replacement. I can’t see why a maintenance guy would say you need to get access behind the wall.

Look at this video. It seems like the video would describe your case. You can see the big hole in the bottom of the spout.

I think it’s a good video but I think he confuses the issue a little when he worries about marking up the spout he is removing and will trash.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhXE...hannel=ProsDIY

 

I agree with Zoesdads assumptions.
I was going to say the same thing early on in this thread, but thought I may have missed something.

 

So you cannot take a shower at all now?

I am tempted to fiendishly try stuffing some modeling clay into the hole and then wrapping it with duct tape to hold it in place, which should make the shower work again. Remove that patch and take the materials out of the bathroom when you are done. Don't tell anyone. It may or may not cause some water to leak down below but just remove the clay and stop doing that after you hear about a complaint or get a complaint.

The landlord will at least think at first that "the hole got so large it is leaking down below all by itself."

Normally you don't have to cut open the wall to change a tub spout. But don't try to twist off the spout yourself because something inside the wall might break in the process.

 

How about trying a bicycle tire patch held in place with a stainless steel hose clamp?

 

You told the landlord about the problem. You gave them ample time to fix it. You have a right to have decent plumbing. Give them written notice that if they don't fix it, you will hire a plumber and deduct from rent. You are within your rights.