I have one drain in my bathroom that drains normally, but every so often it
won't drain until a certain depth is in the basin (sink) then drains keeping
that level in the basin. After it drains, or when the water flow slackens a
bubble will come out of the drain and then the water will all drain from the
basin. It's not repeatable, but I wonder if it might also be responsible
for my occasionally slow to drain toilet.

Is this what a venting problem does, or am I describing something different?

check trap under sink first for clog.

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

it could be. other times the under-the-sink view includes an old style
S trap which seems to make more resistance to the water to drain than
the P traps of today.
i have an oversized 2" S TRAP under my 1-1/2" kitchen sink with
strainer basket removed and am seeing the backup problem unsolved by an
add-a-vent under the sink even when replaced by a new one.
i see any temporary backup water miraculously disappear when dish
detergent is squirted into the sluggish drain.
[i am wondering if the 2" s trap must be a 1-1'2" p trap; [any more
help would be welcome on this]
see your rooftop for location of actual 4" soil stack pipe rising above
toilet rooms and sometimes separate venting for a new bath or kitchen
thru the roof in a 2" pipe.
SEE VENTING AT:
http://www.free-ed.net/sweethaven/Bl...p?iNum=fra0309
it could be blockage after the toilet and after the sink but before the
soil stack.
see:
http://www.fluidmaster.com/
SEE S-TRAP PICTURES AT:
http://images.google.com/images?sour...an&q=s%20traps
SEE P TRAPS AT:
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...ps&btnG=Search


Eigenvector wrote:
I have one drain in my bathroom that drains normally, but every so often it
won't drain until a certain depth is in the basin (sink) then drains keeping
that level in the basin. After it drains, or when the water flow slackens a
bubble will come out of the drain and then the water will all drain from the
basin. It's not repeatable, but I wonder if it might also be responsible
for my occasionally slow to drain toilet.

Is this what a venting problem does, or am I describing something different?

"buffalobill" wrote in message
ps.com...
it could be. other times the under-the-sink view includes an old style
S trap which seems to make more resistance to the water to drain than
the P traps of today.
i have an oversized 2" S TRAP under my 1-1/2" kitchen sink with
strainer basket removed and am seeing the backup problem unsolved by an
add-a-vent under the sink even when replaced by a new one.
i see any temporary backup water miraculously disappear when dish
detergent is squirted into the sluggish drain.
[i am wondering if the 2" s trap must be a 1-1'2" p trap; [any more
help would be welcome on this]
see your rooftop for location of actual 4" soil stack pipe rising above
toilet rooms and sometimes separate venting for a new bath or kitchen
thru the roof in a 2" pipe.
SEE VENTING AT:
http://www.free-ed.net/sweethaven/Bl...p?iNum=fra0309
it could be blockage after the toilet and after the sink but before the
soil stack.
see:
http://www.fluidmaster.com/
SEE S-TRAP PICTURES AT:
http://images.google.com/images?sour...an&q=s%20traps
SEE P TRAPS AT:
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...ps&btnG=Search


Well I'm using all P-traps, but they're all PVC, so it's possible there is a
stubborn clog in there that isn't fully removed and slowing down the
draining.

How is the drain secured to the wash basin, A long time ago I tried to
remove the trap to replace it with a more modern equivalent, but couldn't
get it to budge - is it puttied on, glued on, or just stuck on with years of
oils, grease, and similar horrors?


Eigenvector wrote:
I have one drain in my bathroom that drains normally, but every so often
it
won't drain until a certain depth is in the basin (sink) then drains
keeping
that level in the basin. After it drains, or when the water flow
slackens a
bubble will come out of the drain and then the water will all drain from
the
basin. It's not repeatable, but I wonder if it might also be responsible
for my occasionally slow to drain toilet.

Is this what a venting problem does, or am I describing something
different?

usually plumber's putty, a rusted nut, and rust.
ok, and sludge.


Eigenvector wrote:
"buffalobill" wrote in message
ps.com...
it could be. other times the under-the-sink view includes an old style
S trap which seems to make more resistance to the water to drain than
the P traps of today.
i have an oversized 2" S TRAP under my 1-1/2" kitchen sink with
strainer basket removed and am seeing the backup problem unsolved by an
add-a-vent under the sink even when replaced by a new one.
i see any temporary backup water miraculously disappear when dish
detergent is squirted into the sluggish drain.
[i am wondering if the 2" s trap must be a 1-1'2" p trap; [any more
help would be welcome on this]
see your rooftop for location of actual 4" soil stack pipe rising above
toilet rooms and sometimes separate venting for a new bath or kitchen
thru the roof in a 2" pipe.
SEE VENTING AT:
http://www.free-ed.net/sweethaven/Bl...p?iNum=fra0309
it could be blockage after the toilet and after the sink but before the
soil stack.
see:
http://www.fluidmaster.com/
SEE S-TRAP PICTURES AT:
http://images.google.com/images?sour...an&q=s%20traps
SEE P TRAPS AT:
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...ps&btnG=Search


Well I'm using all P-traps, but they're all PVC, so it's possible there is a
stubborn clog in there that isn't fully removed and slowing down the
draining.

How is the drain secured to the wash basin, A long time ago I tried to
remove the trap to replace it with a more modern equivalent, but couldn't
get it to budge - is it puttied on, glued on, or just stuck on with years of
oils, grease, and similar horrors?


Eigenvector wrote:
I have one drain in my bathroom that drains normally, but every so often
it
won't drain until a certain depth is in the basin (sink) then drains
keeping
that level in the basin. After it drains, or when the water flow
slackens a
bubble will come out of the drain and then the water will all drain from
the
basin. It's not repeatable, but I wonder if it might also be responsible
for my occasionally slow to drain toilet.

Is this what a venting problem does, or am I describing something
different?

On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 17:28:30 -0700, "Eigenvector"
wrote:

I have one drain in my bathroom that drains normally, but every so often it
won't drain until a certain depth is in the basin (sink) then drains keeping
that level in the basin. After it drains, or when the water flow slackens a
bubble will come out of the drain and then the water will all drain from the
basin. It's not repeatable, but I wonder if it might also be responsible
for my occasionally slow to drain toilet.

Is this what a venting problem does, or am I describing something different?


Air bubbles generally mean venting issues, yes.