Real Estate Blog - Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Subtle Diversion

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Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Subtle Diversion

This is fairly subtle, but something a home inspector should check for in kitchen sinks and bathtubs with showers. There is a diverter valve, inside the faucet or the spout. This diverter valve is designed to sense a change in water pressure when the sprayer or the shower head is turned on. As the diverter shifts position, it should shut down the water coming out of the spout at the sink or the shower. Who needs a shower on, with just as much water running out the spout down by your feet? Or who needs all the water pressure coming out the spout, when you are using the sprayer? The photo below is a good example of a diverter that is not working correctly at the sink. All that water pressure coming out the spout should be diverted to the hose sprayer. Instead it is about 50/50. This situation is inconvenient and wastes water as well. Obviously, in a properly operating system, when the shower head or the sprayer is turned off, the diverter shifts positions again and re-opens the spout. If you are a repair-it-yourself type, here is a link that tells you what is going on with the faucet and how to try to remedy it. Now that you know how it is supposed to work, try it at your home. See if you have to get out the monkey wrench or not.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-do-faucet-repairs3.htm

Equal pressure. Say it ain't so!

Thanks for taking a diversion,

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham WA home inspector

www.kingofthehouse.com

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector on 08/22/2007 12:33 AM

Comments (8)

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Originally posted at: Steven L. Smith's Blog: Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Subtle Diversion

8 Comments on Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Subtle Diversion

AUG

2007

Steven..............Helpful info. Now excuse me while I check it out in my own kitchen.

Duane Hosek in the Black Hills of South Dakota

Duane,

I think yours is the natural reaction. See how it works at your own house.

Steve, That's why I like the new faucets with the pull out sprayer. All you do is push a button and the faucet converts from stream to spray. Have it in my house; see it in most newer homes. A side positive is that the new type doesn't take up a hole in the sink; leaves room for that necessary built-in water filter.

Good point David. By having the combined faucet and sprayer, you have fewer things to go wrong. I spent years repairing things and, believe me, the fewer doodads to break down the better. That hole where the old style hose sprayer goes, if they convert to the pull out sprayer, can also leave a place for a dishwasher air-gap.

AUG

2007

I just love the things I learn here. Thanks. If you were in my area, I would certainly recommend you to my clients.

Thanks Tom.

Glad you found this of interest.

Steve

APR

Steve,

If that were the worst defect a home inspector missed the home buyer should feel lucky and call it a day. There are many problems with homes that cost far more than $100 to $200 that get missed during home inspections all the time. Under reporting is by far a huge problem in the home inspection field along with the dirty little secret of the industry.

Michael,

It would certainly not be among the bigger finds but I try to do a detailed job. I think I do not know what you mean by the dirty little secret.

Steve

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