Hooked Posted October 1, 2014 Report Posted October 1, 2014 (edited) I googled the issue but prefer to hear from any members here who have experienced the following? I replaced my toilet this past weekend and was totally surprised to see what I seen. Wish I took a pic! Anyways, I am guessing it was calcium build-up? But the 3" pipe, that the toilet sits on, was coated with this thick coating, beige in colour and enough to make it a 2" hole. It also curled over and covered part of the hole. So I scraped along the sides as far as I could but am unsure how far along this system goes? Before I go calling a plumber, anyone have any idea's of any kind of treatment I can use to eliminate the buildup on the pipes? I have city water btw, always have. Thanks Edited October 1, 2014 by Hooked
HTHM Posted October 1, 2014 Report Posted October 1, 2014 What you were seeing is the wax ring that is used to seat the toilet to the floor. From what you describe it appears that the wax ring used was too thick for the application.
Hooked Posted October 1, 2014 Author Report Posted October 1, 2014 What you were seeing is the wax ring that is used to seat the toilet to the floor. From what you describe it appears that the wax ring used was too thick for the application. A rubber ring was used in this case when they installed it. I had to scrape down perhaps 8" and then there was an elbow. After that I have no idea.
HTHM Posted October 1, 2014 Report Posted October 1, 2014 A rubber ring was used in this case when they installed it. I had to scrape down perhaps 8" and then there was an elbow. After that I have no idea. Then I do not know, wait for aplumma to chime in.
OhioFisherman Posted October 1, 2014 Report Posted October 1, 2014 I guess there are options other than the wax ring?
jimmer Posted October 1, 2014 Report Posted October 1, 2014 I have that happen at my house, but I'm on a well with hard water. It is calcium/lime build up and from what I saw was just on the vertical pipe below the toilet. I don' think that there is anything that can be done to prevent this, because pouring something down the toilet would just get diluted and flushed past the build up. If you have a long horizontal run, you can cut the pipe to have a look-see for any buildup there and then just put in a coupling to repair the cut you made. There could be a leak in your toilet flush valve causing water to constantly run into the bowl then into the drain. Do you see movement in the water of the bowl after your flush has finished and the tank is full? If there is movement, then you have a leak.
Hooked Posted October 1, 2014 Author Report Posted October 1, 2014 I have a brand new toilet, so no leak. My previous one, I wouldn't doubt it. Yeah, I am a little perplexed if there is some kind of treatment for it. I have heard of a tool that shreds roots, perhaps that would work on this too?
aplumma Posted October 1, 2014 Report Posted October 1, 2014 Jimmer is correct with an additional adage what you are seeing is called uratic salts it is from the minerals that your body eliminates into the bowl. If you have a flapper that is running on a toilet that has urine in it the minerals are trickling out with the water and forming a crystal sludge type deposit. They are not harmful and usually do not extend past the first foot of the toilet. You might want to replace the flapper on the toilet and if you are a if it is yellow let it mellow to save water type of person it is a good reason to rethink this and flush after every use UNLESS you are wee weeing at night and you do not want to wake the spouse. lol Art
AdamS Posted October 2, 2014 Report Posted October 2, 2014 At first I would have said the wax ring but I think Aplumma is right. If you wanted to, you could use what they call a plumbing snake, since the toilet is back on, to try to clean out the pipe further. I know you can buy them and I think you can rent these at home depot or somewhere like that. basically you can put it down the drain (They come in various lengths) and you spin it which could possibly remove some of that buildup. Im not saying it will but if you wanted to attempt to clean down further, its a cheap option.
jimmer Posted October 2, 2014 Report Posted October 2, 2014 I would take the toilet off again if I was snaking it.
OhioFisherman Posted October 2, 2014 Report Posted October 2, 2014 http://www.homedepot.com/s/plumbing+snake?NCNI-5 You can get a fairly cheap plumbing snake from home depot or lowes, if you're a home owner it's not a bad tool to have around. I have a toilet snake, a hand crank one that has around 25 foot of cable, and one that is around 50 feet that is also hand crank. A toilet snake usually has rubber or plastic on part of the cable to protect the finish on the toilet, but they aren't very long, maybe 4 feet?
Hooked Posted October 2, 2014 Author Report Posted October 2, 2014 I have a toilet snake, but I doubt it would do much. This stuff is caked on pretty good. Thankfully I got most of it before I put the toilet on. But there was an elbow perhaps a foot down and couldn't get beyond that. Aplumma mentioned the sediment should only go down a foot. So I imagine not much beyond that. Flushing way better now though.
aplumma Posted October 2, 2014 Report Posted October 2, 2014 I have left hundreds of toilets with the pipe in the condition and never had a call back. We have run cameras down lines and natural conditions exist that are far more restrictive that what you have found. You just got to see one of the secrets that live in an average house that we as professions see every day. Art
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