[Greenbuilding] scale buildup in toilet prevents toilet from flushing!

[Kathy Cochran]

I had that happen before I put in my water softener.  When a started getting
the converted garage ready to rent, I took the toilet OUT and took it
outside, where I soaked it with a strong acid (can't remember the name of
this acid, but I am sure somebody out there will..) I filled up the tank and
the bowl with it and let it soak!   When I was done, it looked like a had a
brand new toilet.  (This would only work if you had another toilet in the
house to use, or else an out-house for temporary use.  But it really does
work!

 

(My well water is full of iron and magnesium and calcium.  I too am on a
septic system)

 

My suggestion is that you put in a water softening system, start with a
clean toilet per the above directions, and you will be amazed at the
difference!  In ALL your appliances, as well!  I am now inspired to pull the
main toilet out of the house, and do the same thing, because that one was in
use before the water softener was put in, and still has some rust stains
that I haven't been able to get out by other means!  Good luck!

 

Kathy Cochran

 

From: greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Reuben
Deumling
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 12:34 PM
To: Greenbuilding
Subject: [Greenbuilding] scale buildup in toilet prevents toilet from
flushing!

 

I learn something new every day. It never occurred to me that what my
renters were reporting as low performing toilets could be traced to scale
buildup that had completely blocked portions of the toilet's internal
plumbing. Certainly there was a visible yellowish layer below the water line
at the bottom of the bowl, but I figured that was merely staining of the
bowl but not 1/2" thick layer of very hard limestone....
I am now reading online that this is apparently quite common. Lye, caustic
soda, lemon juice and various chemical cocktails based on one or another of
these are recommended. Fine, but this house is on a septic system. How to
guard against throwing the baby out with the bathwater without uninstalling
the toilet? For that matter how to clean the pipes which I discovered were
also suffering a similar fate - at least where I could see.


I can of course instruct my renters to do a more thorough job of cleaning
the parts of the toilet they can see, but this doesn't do much for the other
areas. Are there filters that can prevent this? Other ideas? 

Thanks very much.

Oh, and the water company washes its hands of this; claims they hear about
staining but not scale buildup. 

  _____  

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