What are the 3 Main Types of Shower Diverters?

It might seem to you that there is a wide variety of shower diverters out there, but that’s not actually true. Any professional plumber would tell you the same; there are only three different types of shower diverters.

So, why are there so many different shower diverters when it comes to size and shape?

Well, every shower diverter can be categorized under the three main types -‘’3-Valve Diverter’’, Two-Valve Diverter’’, and ‘’Tee Diverter’’.

Now, we will discuss each of these types and give you the full insight into their specifications and purpose in general. But first, let’s say a couple of words about their general use and what they are designed for.

In that light, let’s begin.

Shower Diverter Valves – Their Use and Benefits

So, what exactly is a shower diverter?

Well, simply speaking, that’s a valve that allows you to choose between taking a shower and pouring water inside your tub.

To be more precise, this valve DIVERTS water flow up into the showerhead or else that water would end up flowing through your bathtub faucet.

Now, as we can see, people usually use shower diverters for the sole purpose of redirecting water flow as they like. But, what’s actually more important to know, with the shower diverter installed on your bathtub faucet, you can actually benefit a lot.

How come? Well, with the shower diverter installed:

• There’s no need to install a separate shower stall or even an enclosure.
• You will be able to save a lot of space in the bathroom.
• There’s no need to attach any extra pipes or faucets.

As we can see, these are some really big advantages compared to simple installation of the shower diverter valve.

And, since we already said a lot about shower diverters in general, it’s time to begin with the discussion of the types.

The 3 Types of Shower Diverters

There are three different types of shower diverters, so let’s take a closer look at each type and see what are their differences and similarities.

3-Valve Shower Diverter

This type of shower diverter is usually seen on the bathtub faucets that have separate cold and hot water handles. You can see this shower diverter right between the two handles that are meant for turning on and off the water flow.

This shower diverter is actually separating the water flow from a shower head to the faucet and the other way around with the little ‘’L’’ handle that you need to turn.

If you turn this handle all the way to the left, the water will run through the shower head. On the other hand, if you turn it back to the right, the water will go back to the faucet.

This shower diverter is pushing the water straight upwards to the shower head or the shower arm, depending on what you have installed.

Two-Valve Shower Diverter

Next, we have a two-valve shower diverter that is usually located on both one-tap and two-tap faucets. Its place is almost always right at the center of the faucet. Now, the way this shower diverter works is a bit different than the first one.

Namely, the 3-valve diverter is sending both cold and hot water directly to the shower head, but, the two-valve diverter is first waiting for the water to be completely mixed and then it sends it to the shower head.

This type of diverter works in the same fashion as the 3-valve diverter. Simply turn the shower diverter clockwise to let the water flow go through the shower head. And, if you want the water to go back to the faucet, simply turn the shower diverter back in the counter-clockwise fashion.

This type of shower diverter is usually the most common you’ll ever face since it works great on both one-tap and two-tap faucets. Besides that, this shower diverter is ensuring both cold and hot water is equally mixed and then sent to the shower head.

Tee Shower Diverter

The third type of shower diverter is the tee shower diverter.

This shower diverter is usually located at the end of the faucet. It doesn’t matter where it’s installed since this shower diverter also works great both on two-tap and one-tap faucets.

This shower diverter is not working in the same fashion as the previous two.

Namely, the tee shower diverter works when you pull it up until the water flow is redirected to the shower head. The diverter will stay in that position until you decide to go back to the faucet water flow. Then, all you need to do is to push the shower diverter back to its previous position.

This is quite a good shower diverter type since it also regulates the flow of water. This means that both cold and hot water will first be mixed and then sent to the shower head.

Shower Diverter – Possible Problems

Shower diverters, like any other part of the faucet, can experience some issues and start to malfunction. Here are some of the most common problems and issues that might occur if you have a shower diverter.

• Leaks – Some bathtub faucets might start leaking if the shower diverter is not completely on one side. This means that the water flow will be separated and there will be leaks every time you try to take a shower or fill a bathtub.
• Loss of water pressure – Also, it might happen that the shower diverter won’t transfer all the water that is coming through the water supply line. The reason might be a mineral or any other build-up.
• Difficulties when switching  - If the shower diverter is old or simply made with flaws, it’s going to be really hard to switch between the shower head and the faucet water flow.

Conclusion: Shower Diverter Types

So there you go! These are the three main types of shower diverters and everything about them. In case you need to choose one, you will now know exactly which type to get.