Have a bath/shower mixer which when i pull lever for shower just keeps running water throuh the taps. Know i need to chane a washer but where does it go??

Miss G, January 2005

hI WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS UNDO THE THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE TAP NOT THE THE TAPS THAT YOU USE TO TURN THE WATER ON WITH I MEAN THE MIDDLE PART THAT GOES UP TO THE SHOWER PS YOU WILL NEED SOME SPANNERS. TAKE ALL THE CORE SECTION OUT MAKING SURE YOU TAPS ARE OFF SO NO WATER WILL BE FORCED OUT. AND YOU WILL SEE TWO OR THREE BLACK WASHERS TAKE ALL THAT SECTION TO YOUR PLUMBERS MERCHANTS AND ASK FOR NEW WASHERS FOR ALL THEN REPLACE ALL THE SAME AS IT WAS TAKEN OUT SPRING FIRST THEN THE REST AND IT WILL WORK FINE..ps I DID ONE THE OTHER DAY..

SIMON .. 3RS HOUSE MAINTENANCE..., March 2008

When you say pull the lever I am assuming it's the standard diverter, the same as mine, that you pull up to divert the flow from the taps in to the shower hose. if so follow this.

Lift the diverter [obviously don't turn the taps on] If you have access to any spanners you will need a thin open end spanner.
put the spanner on the flats of the top plate of the diverter [it's like a nut or a two sided nut] and pull it around
ANTI CLOCKWISE take this diverter completely out of the tap head and look to see if both the seal rings have either broken or have disintegrated. Take it to your plumbing shop and ask for new seals to be fitted. Before re-fitting it make sure the seating in the body of the tap is clear. Gently put your finger inside the housing and feel at the bottom edges of the opening for bits of old seal remove them. Don't worry if bits fall in to the spout they will come out when the taps are turned on. Before you put the diverter back in the tap body give it smear vaseline around the thread. Put it back in hand screw it until it stops then finish it off with the spanner just 'Nipping it' reasonably tightly to seal it off. Remove the spanner the diverter shaft will drop down. Test it turn on the taps, hold the shower head in the bath then pull the diverter lever up.

If water comes out of the diverter top plate then NIP it up a bit more until it stops coming out. If it still leaks then go back to the plumber and get some white sealing tape, ask they might give some other sealant.

Undo the diverter again and wrap tape around the top part of the divert thread under the flange about 4 time around then replace the diverter again and tighten. This should stop any leaking.
These taps work on the 'Divert principle' that is it diverts the already pressured water which the taps release when turned on in to the shower head via this diverter. The diverter when removed makes the taps in operable unless you want a fountain. So when you work on it make sure every body knows they can't use the bath when the diverter has been loosened and or removed.

bob whiting, January 2005