Base of bath faucet pulling from wall and spraying water out of the side
#1
09-22-17, 09:05 AM
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Base of bath faucet pulling from wall and spraying water out of the side
I replaced my shower head a couple of months ago after it cracked. Last night I went to pull the diverter on the tub faucet to turn the shower on and the base of the faucet started pulling away from the tile and spraying water out from the side of the base, weakening the shower head pressure. I saw a lot of posts about water leaking from the front of the faucet when the shower was on but the water is only spraying from the back. Is it an issue of simply re caulking it to the wall or will the faucet need to be entirely replaced? I'm hoping it isn't some sort of pipe crack. I own a home and haven't done much DIY projects so any advice is welcome 
I've attached a picture. It is the left side that starts coming loose.
I've attached a picture. It is the left side that starts coming loose.
#2
09-25-17, 11:28 AM
You need to look behind the faucet to find the leak. Since the leak is pressurized, it must be coming directly from a pipe behind the faucet and not dripping down from somewhere else. Remove caulking, grasp the faucet with two hands and unscrew it (counterclockwise). Hopefully, the (rather disconcerting) fact that the faucet pulls out from the wall and is moving around wont prevent the removal. Look to see if the threads on the faucet are split or damaged - if so replace as the faucets are inexpensive. If the faucet is OK, you could put a plug or cap onto the threads from which you removed the faucet, turn the water on and look with a flashlight to see where the water is coming from.
#3
09-25-17, 11:21 PM
I agree that some visual inspection is in order. The tub spout is /probably/ screwed on, but check the bottom for a set screw before applying any torque to it. If there's a closet on the other side of the wall, it might be a good place to install an access panel (available in a variety of sizes).
Last edited by steve_gro; 09-25-17 at 11:21 PM. Reason: wording
