High-Tank Saga Final Act

I don’t know if any of you remember the high-tank parts saga I had with that bathroom parts supplier I’m no longer mentioning by name. You know the one I’m talking about. Anyway, I stopped blogging about it, but the troubles continued. It became too painful to even think about, let alone write about.

I actually had to return the flush valve one last time. At this point I’m not sure what happened. There is a chance that I told them inch and a quarter, but it’s not likely. Regardless, I received an inch and a quarter flush valve and not inch and a half as I needed. After sending it back a few times (I lost count) I went to try and install it on the flush tube and realized it was the wrong size. When I realized it was the wrong size, after returning it so many times, my shoulders slumped a bit, and my head drooped down between my shoulders a bit, but that was it. I didn’t yell or scream or cry. I was beaten, but as much as I hated to, I had to return it once more.

By now, this is weeks after I wrote some truthful but also scathing blog entries about the service I had received. If you Googled this company’s name some of my blog entries come up near the top of page one. I decided it was time to be conciliatory in my dealings with them. I sent back the flush valve yet again, only this time with a very polite note. I speculated this snafu may have been my mistake and would they please rectify the mistake that may or may not have been mine. I just wanted my flush valve.

A week goes by and I don’t hear anything. Remember, I was beaten down at this point. The fire had gone out. I just wanted the right flush valve and I had time. The bathroom is far from finished. I could wait. Two weeks go by and I hear nothing. Three weeks – nothing. I don’t remember how long it was that I waited but I eventually called them.

I got Jim this time, not his dim-witted assistant, and he assured me the part was received and the correct part was sent out. I asked if I he could confirm that it was sent and he told me he remembers taking care of it personally. It’s possible the mail could be delayed so I waited some more. Another week passed with no part.

I called Jim yet again. I was a little more persistent this time and I asked if he could find any shipping confirmation. I had my credit card statement that showed I had been credited for the wrong part, but I was never billed for the new part. He told me he would look in to it and get back to me.

I got a call a few hours later. I wasn’t at home, but Jim left me a message. He told me that the part I returned only needed to be modified. They could cut off the inch and a quarter threaded stem and solder on an inch a half stem. He had taken it back to the shop but no one knew what to do with it, so there it sat for more than a month. It just sat there and no one bothered to question it.

Jim apologized. The part was fixed and I received it 4 days later. That was several weeks ago when I was up to my ears in windows and tile so it sat until yesterday. I finally got around to fixing the tank and installing the valve this week. I now have all of the correct parts and the toilet is complete. This started in December.



I rebuilt the hole with PC-11 marine epoxy. The nut was just big enough to cover the epoxy if I got the valve perfectly centered, which I did not. I had to touch up with a little paint, but it should be fine.



Above is the valve installed. You can see a little paint. I’ll clean that up once it’s installed. A little more touch-up and a few coats of shellac, and it should be all but invisible. I put a bead of caulk between the washer and the copper liner in the tank. Tomorrow or the next day I’ll do a water test to make sure there are no leaks. I feel good about it at this point.