Why does water come out of my shower head and the tub spout at the same time?Updated 6 days ago
This issue is most often caused by shower-rise. Shower-rise occurs when water cannot exit the tub spout as quickly as it flows through the valve. When this happens, the water backs up in the system and is forced out through the shower head at the same time as the spout.
Shower-rise can occur for several reasons:
The valve may be installed upside down.
The distance from the valve to the tub spout does not meet the recommended 8" to 18" length.
There is more than one 90-degree angle in the piping leading to the spout.
A material other than copper or galvanized pipe was used between the valve and the tub spout.
Most commonly, the water flow to the spout is being restricted. This can be caused by solder, debris, or another obstruction inside the pipe. When the flow to the spout is restricted, water backs up and exits through the shower head instead.
If a blockage is suspected, it may be possible to correct the issue by removing the tub spout and feeding a plumber’s snake or speedometer cable up through the tub drop. As the cable is fed upward, it will rotate and help loosen the obstruction. After clearing the blockage, flush the valve before reinstalling the tub spout, and inspect the tub spout itself for any debris.
If these steps do not resolve the problem, a licensed plumber may be required. Once the shower is installed and the wall has been closed, there are limited options for correcting shower-rise without professional assistance.