Our house was built in 1920 and is surrounded by trees, so we know there are sewer problems because of roots. My husband also thinks lime deposits in pipes inside the house are preventing free flow of liquids and wants to dump muriatic acid down the toilet, for instance. Is there a better solution to dissolve the lime?

I would not suggest using acids. Are you having draining issues in the whole house, or just a toilet, or sink, etc? Lime buildup normally only effects fixtures, not the main drain lines. Roots can be controlled with chemicals, but the line needs to be cleared with an auger before they will do much good. Can you give us a bit more info about what your issues are in regard to drainage? Im betting the other pros will be here shortly.

I would not suggest using acids. Are you having draining issues in the whole house, or just a toilet, or sink, etc? Lime buildup normally only effects fixtures, not the main drain lines. Roots can be controlled with chemicals, but the line needs to be cleared with an auger before they will do much good. Can you give us a bit more info about what your issues are in regard to drainage? Im betting the other pros will be here shortly.

My issue would be muriatric acid going into a town system

Small amounts of muriatic will be so diluted by the time they reach the city sewer or septic tank that you wouldn't even know they were there. My concern with these acids are about the well being of the people in the home that are handling the acids. Burns, suffocating , etc are the main reasons that only professionals should use these substances. And in reality, true professional plumbers won't use the stuff. That's why we have augering machines.

Hi WG

If your home is built from the 1920's then it may be a good time to inspect the drain line by having a local drain company use a camera to video tape the entire length of the drain line (to the city sewer system).

This can certainly cost a bit of money (get 3 estimates), but it will let you know exactly what is happening inside the drain line! It is what I would do at this point!

Mark

Get a reputable sewer service out to clean-out your main sewer line. They'll be able to tell you where they are a problem, and better yet, have them run their camera down there to really see what's up down there. Sort of a colonoscopy for your house. The cost will be worth the peace of mind you'll get knowing everything is fine (or what you need to do to fix the problems). Acid can upset the balance in a private septic system. Municipal systems, not a problem.

My husband thinks there is a lime buildup in the pipes from the toilet bowl down into the main pipe (whatever it is called). The sinks and washtub drains and pipes are clear, but the toilet seems to be stopping up or at least not flushing completely since he replaced our old toilet several years ago with a new model that uses less water. (Aha -- new information!).

The sinks and washtub drains use less water so that is not a clear indicator here!

Lime could certainly be an issue, but if you have pipes from 1920, I'm still thinking you have issues beyond the basics!

I suppose it is possible that the toilet wax gasket got squished when setting the toilet and could be an issue... maybe? This would require your husband to lift the toilet and inspect the wax gasket...

What happens when you drain a washing machine or a full tub?

What happens when you drain a washing machine or a full tub?
No problem.

Lift the toilet and inspect the wax gasket... may be the issue right there.

Lift the toilet and inspect the wax gasket...may be the issue right there.
He said he will reset (reseat?) it, but had hurt his back and is waiting for that to calm down. So that would be the next effort?

I think it should be. If the toilet is the only issue at this point, it suggests that the wax gasket could be causing issues!

If lime is the issue, it should show up at the flange, so lifting the toilet and inspecting the wax gasket and the drain pipe is the next step!

I think it should be. If the toilet is the only issue at this point, it suggests that the wax gasket could be causing issues!

If lime is the issue, it should show up at the flange, so lifting the toilet and inspecting the wax gasket and the drain pipe is the next step!
Thanks. Maybe this coming week he will be able to do that.

What do you think of the new toilets that don't use much water (low flush)?

Today's 1.6 gallon per flush (GPF) toilets are terrific, especially toto, kohler, and american standard toilets.

The even newer toilets that flush at 1.28 GPF are, in my opinion, still to new to be installing quite yet! Here, I'd wait to see how they work out the "kinks" in the new designs much like they had to do when they changed the toilets from 3.5 GPF to the 1.6 GPF.

Most of those are ADA compliant now. I want a shorter toilet, no more than 15 inches off the floor. Is that possible? I just have to measure at the store?

Get a variable flush. Costs only a tiny bit more.
I saw on a home imp show that you shouldn't rock the toilet in an attempt to 'seat' it on the wax ring or it will squish it out of shape. I'm sure the plumbers here know more about that.
A typical Kohler Wellworth is 14.5" high to the top of the porcelain. Few people realize that the lower the seat the better it is for you, nature's way of getting you to squat or hunker. Home Depot is selling more of the even higher than ordinary ones (16.5") for elderly who don't want to buy a doughnut or use grab bars.
I invested $1300 (rare for me) in a water softener that descales and softens without any electricity, any salt, any maintenance, and any ion exchange that makes sodium chloride. It turns the minerals into crystals so they don't stick to anything. That's about 3 times the cost of a regular softener but I love it. I live in a high lime area where lime stone is actually the main business, so I used to stand and watch the calcification happening around the pot rim just boiling spaghetti. And yes, it clogged the plumbing, showers, and appliances.

I don't know much about 15" high toilets but they do exist. Few people realize that the lower the seat the better it is for you, nature's way of getting you to squat or hunker. Home Depot is selling more of the even higher than ordinary ones for elderly who don't want to buy a doughnut or use grab bars. I think you can get low ones at specialty stores.
The one we have now is 14 inches high. I'm 5 feet tall (or less with old-age shrinkage), and would really like to have one like we had in the preschool bathroom when I taught that age group! The ADA-compliant ones are nice if you are old and over 5'8". Maybe if my husband resets (reseats?) the toilet we have after replacing the wax ring, we will be good to go. *fingers crossed*

Doubt you'll find a shorter toilet, just like you won't find one that consumes over 1.6 gallons per flush. The Japanese have a squat style toilet (Toto sells them in Japan) where your bum doesn't even touch the toilet. Being a taller guy, having lived with a squat toilet, my knees thank me for having a taller sit down toilet. My local water utility gives a $100 rebate for 1.28 gallon flush toilets, not 1.6 gal. American Standard just bought out Eljer, and have made one that says on the box that it'll flush a bucket of golf balls! Maybe.

What height do you want, to the top of the bowl, not counting the seat, which adds about 3/4"?

What height do you want, to the top of the bowl, not counting the seat, which adds about 3/4"?
Now it's 14". I want no more than 15". My 5'10" husband says the ADA ones would be so much easier for us, and I tell him to be 5' tall for two weeks.

Is there room for two toilets by any chance?
You deserve your 14" and he deserves his 17 - 19".

The first one I looked at on HD was 16.5" and claimed ADA compliance, hmm.
I suppose that some very short people needing ADA compliance might not want 17+. But wheelchair seats are about 18", the height of a typical chair. I'm 5'1 and shrinking and if I were using a walker I'd want to stay with my 14.5. Donuts are a drag - they are plastic and stain, plus the opening is so &*^%%*) small that they quickly get dirty.

Is there room for two toilets by any chance?
You deserve your 14" and he deserves his 17 - 19".
No, no room for a second toilet. I told him to take a tape measure with him to HD.

Typical dining chairs are too high for me now, and I hate to sit back so my legs dangle like a little kid's. Plus, my thighs are short and don't allow my knees to bend at the right place (so then I have to sit forward).

I can not advise against using muratic acid, or any acid, in a enclosed area such as a rest room strongly enough. As a young boy I would take limed up toilet bowls out in the alley behind the shop and boil the lime out of them. Over half a century later my lungs still carry the scar tissue that the acid fumes caused. A few years ago I lost a good friend when he used a commercial drain cleaner containing sulfuric acid in a unvented bathroom. Acid IS NOT A GOOD IDEA to use to clear mineral buildup. Take it from one who's paid the price. . If you wish to control roots RootX or Robics Foaming Root Killer that contain Dichlobrnic are two products you could try.
A less expensive way would be to call around to garden supply stores and ask for fine grain Copper Sulphate. Put a 1/2 pound in your toilet and flush it down. Repeat in 6 months. Regards, Tom

A less expensive way would be to call around to garden supply stores and ask for fine grain Copper Sulphate. Put a 1/2 pound in your toilet and flush it down. Repeat in 6 months. Regards, Tom
Thanks, Tom. He seems to be more worried about lime deposits than roots at this point.

If I had to remove lime I wouldn't use acid to do it. I'd snake the line using a cutter blade tip or a chain knocker and then flush the lines out,

If I had to remove lime I wouldn't use acid to do it. I'd snake the line using a cutter blade tip,or a chain knocker and then flush the lines out,,
You could HURT yourself being a plumber!

You could HURT yourself being a plumber!
Hey! That's why we make the BIG bucks, Tom

Back to the toilet question. All you need is a standard round bowl toilet. Most regular/standard toilets are 15". The good new is they are quite a bit cheaper than ADA toilet, that normally measure 17" (without seat). Sure, almost all brands have an ADA bowl, but the standard 15" bowl is much more common.

And you are correct, Wondergirl, plumbing isnt exactly the safest occupation out there. Takes a certain type to not get hurt, or at least not show that they are hurting,,lol

Tom, are there "bucks" big enough for what we really do? If we really charged what we are worth when it comes to some of the stuff we have to deal with, nobody could afford us, huh?