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snoyes · Oct 7, 2010, 06:52 AM

There are bubbles emitting from the tank fill tube (part marked #4 in image) and the tank does not fill. No water comes out the bowl fill tube (part marked #5 in image). If I cover #4 with my finger, then water begins to flow out #5.

ballengerb1 · Oct 7, 2010, 07:16 AM

Unless you want to rebuild this fill valve its cost effective and easy to replace the entire valve for about $8. I'd recommend a Fluidmaster 400A

afaroo · Oct 7, 2010, 07:22 AM

It soundes that you have debris inside the fill valve, suggest to close the angle valve unuder the toilet tank, remove the screws on top of the fill valve, remove the cap the arm and the ball, now put your hand on top of the fill valve open the angle valve to flush debris out the fill valve, close the angle valve and assemble the fill valve check if it is fixed, Thanks.

John

snoyes · Oct 7, 2010, 08:06 AM

Thanks, taking that apart and cleaning it out worked a treat. Now I can go on to figuring out why the sink drains so slow!

ballengerb1 · Oct 7, 2010, 08:16 AM

Which sink, bath or kitchen?

snoyes · Oct 7, 2010, 08:21 AM

Bathroom sinks on opposite ends of the house, and the tub adjacent to one of them, drain slowly. We have very hard water; might be mineral build up.

ballengerb1 · Oct 7, 2010, 08:27 AM

Mineral build up in supply lines is more common than minerals in the drain. Drains carry junk and junk can clogg. A single sink can be easy to clear, sink and tub both drain poorly is going to be a slightly bigger issue. Lets do the single sink first. If it has a drop down plunger it will need to be removed. Do you have a plunger?

snoyes · Oct 7, 2010, 08:30 AM

There is no stopper in the drain. I do have a plumber's helper.

ballengerb1 · Oct 7, 2010, 08:42 AM

"plumber's helper" can be many things to many people, hope its not a chemical drain cleaner. Put a bucket under the trap and remove the trap. There should be a small amount of debris in the trap so make sure its rinsed out and totally clear. Use a flshlight to look inside the drain going into the wall, is that pipe still perfectly round on the iside or is it flat on the bottom?

snoyes · Oct 7, 2010, 09:27 AM

By "plumber's helper" I mean the rubber thing on a stick.

I cleaned out the trap - it was mostly full of gunk. Put it back on, but it didn't make much difference. I plunged enthusiastically for a bit with the aforementioned plumber's helper, and now that sink drains faster than the faucet runs in, so that's all settled.

Something is wrong - I've completed two plumbing projects, without having to make a single trip to the hardware store, and I'm 11 cents up on the deal (I found a finishing nail, a dime, and a penny in the trap).

snoyes · Oct 7, 2010, 10:18 AM

The second bathroom has a dual vanity and a tub. I plunged the tub drain, and now it will at least empty, albeit a bit slowly.

One sink seemed to be draining at an acceptable rate with just running water. I put in the drain plug, filled it, and pulled the plug. Black water burbled up into the other sink. Now both of them are full of standing water. I've plunged both, with and without the other one plugged, and it has not made any difference.

afaroo · Oct 7, 2010, 10:20 AM

Great it is our pleasure to help and we made you rich by a few cents, Thanks for the update.

John

afaroo · Oct 7, 2010, 10:23 AM

Now you need to snake it to clear the blockage, Thanks.

ballengerb1 · Oct 7, 2010, 12:22 PM

Your helper is called a plunger. Although it helped you a bit they don't work on all blockages. IE a sink with an overflow opening or vent can't be plunged, the forced air just comes out the hole. They work best on toilets clogged right in their trap

snoyes · Oct 7, 2010, 01:15 PM

How do you snake a double vanity? Wouldn't the snake tend to just head back up the other sink? How do you make it turn the corner and go down the line?

ballengerb1 · Oct 7, 2010, 01:42 PM

You snake after the trap, afetr the two pipes come together. We never snake right down the drain of a sink.

snoyes · Oct 7, 2010, 01:48 PM

They come together inside the wall. Each sink has its own trap.

ballengerb1 · Oct 7, 2010, 01:51 PM

Then you remove both traps and rod into the wall. The traps come together but one side could be more clogged thgan the other so rod both.

hkstroud · Oct 7, 2010, 02:08 PM

When using a plunger be sure to block the over flow for maximum effectiveness..

jlisenbe · Oct 7, 2010, 02:22 PM

Fellows, would this be a deal where a gallon of HOT water poured down the drain could do the trick? I've tried that twice recently and it worked wonders.