Limescale blocking pipe

[Gazza67]

My pipe work shower and bath have been draining painfully slowly lately, i've pulled a few pipes apart and shone a torch in and i can see some solid bricks of lime scale. They look to be about 10mm x 7mm and a few centimetres long. So far i have slung Mr Muscle and caustic soda down it, used a pressure plunger (popped the pipework, rained downstairs!) and a drain unblocker with a flexible rod which is when i noticed the limescale bricks. Now i've been reading Sulphuric acid could be the answer. Is this something i should try or should i just get a professional in. I have an ensuite sink and shower who's pipework joins up with a bath and sink in the main bathroom so how much sulphuric acid should i get? Or again should i get a plumber in and admit defeat?

Any help would quite literally be much appreciated.

 

[Skelly87]

Im a young plumber so you may want to wait for a few of the more experienced guys to reply. My experiences with sulphuric acid drain clearers has been good although its lethal stuff. Eye protection and gloves and go carefull with the stuff. I have witnessed a subcontractor using this stuff to clear scale from urinal pipework. They used too much which resulted in the pipework getting real hot because of the chemical reactions. The plastic pipework melted and they got acid everywhere. If your not confident then id suggest getting someone in. They might not even need to use the stuff

 

[Simon F]

Hello Gazza
am I reading this correct, you have 4 waste's all connected into a single waste pipe? 40mm??
if that is the case I would be looking to re pipe it all.

 

[Gazza67]

Hello Gazza
am I reading this correct, you have 4 waste's all connected into a single waste pipe? 40mm??
if that is the case I would be looking to re pipe it all.

That's correct. I inherited the house with the plumbing. It's been fine up till now though.

 

[Skelly87]

The pipework set up might not be ideal but id of thought it would be fine unless you are using everything at once i.e. bath, shower and basin. I guess the likelyhood of that is zero though

 

[WHPES]

It's also where pipes branch you get sediment forming, not just for the draining issue.

Got a job last year where something similar had been done and when someone flushed the loo, the water came up in the shower tray.