Do not discharge brine into septic system

Q. I'm seeking your advice on how to safely and effectively dispose of softener brine after regeneration. Initially brine was plumbed through the septic system. Because of the very high mineral count of my water and deterioration of concrete tanks, the brine is now directed to the exterior house foundation drain and flows to daylight. Do you think this is a good solution? What alternatives would you suggest?

A. Discharging brine into a septic system is not a good idea in the first place, as it can negatively affect its functioning. This discussion is too long to deal with in this space.

Surface discharge of brine is an acceptable practice, but it will kill vegetation, so is it acceptable to you? It also must be done in a way that will not affect your well or your neighbors', as the discharge of brine can also affect ground water under certain circumstances. A distance of a minimum of 100 feet from any water source and wells is recommended, and the discharge should be downhill from these sources as much as possible.

I am concerned that the way you are discharging it now, the salt in the brine may come in contact with the masonry foundation, be it concrete blocks or poured concrete, and eventually damage it. It would be best to discharge the brine through its own PVC pipe system to daylight or other means.

There are several alternatives. If there is a place on your land to build a small storage pond, you can discharge the brine into it through a PVC pipe and let the water evaporate. This will avoid killing vegetation onto which the brine is otherwise discharged. You can also discharge it to a drywell, but be sure the drywell is sized properly.

You can collect and save the brine to spray on your driveway in the winter to deal with ice. In the summer, it can be sprayed on gravel driveways to keep the dust under control, and it can also be sprayed on weeds during the growing season to kill them.

Another possible application is to drain the brine into a bucket through a cloth to collect the salt and put the salt in a plastic bucket in the woods for deer to lick it during the winter when they need it most.

Q. I'm told you are the genius regarding all things for the home. I am plagued with a sewer odor problem. We live in Vermont and our sewer gas exhaust pipe keeps freezing and restricting the discharge of the gas. I've looked online, counseled with hardware and big box stores, and sewer company experts to no avail. My neighbor said he's had the same problem, but it's the first time he's had this problem in 30 years in Vermont.

Any recommendations on how to prevent the upper/exposed portion of the pipe from freezing shut? The best answer I've received so far is "welcome to the north."

A. I assume you are referring to the section of the plumbing stack vent above your roof.

It is possible that the vent's diameter is too small. If the vent stack is less than 3-inches in diameter, it can be cut off close to the attic's floor and a new pipe of a minimum of 3-inches in diameter attached to the smaller section with an adapter. This will require a new boot through the roof.

Freezing is also a problem if the section above the roof is too long - 6 inches is best; cut off any excess vent pipe.

A long run in a cold attic can also be a factor; the pipe can be insulated.

Q. After trying many things to remove black spots from the toilet bowl, I finally found one that works. Make a paste out of cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide. Scrub the paste on the spot with a brush and let it set for fifteen minutes, rinse and repeat if necessary. Make sure the bowl is dry before applying the paste. It took a few applications but it worked for me.

A. Thank you for sharing your successful remedy. Here are a couple more:

Although I have never tried it, several readers over the years have told me of their success with pouring a bottle of Coke in the bowl and scrubbing the stains.

Another very successful stain remover is muriatic acid, but it must be used with great caution as it is very caustic. Wear heavy duty rubber gloves, old clothes and eye protection. Very slowly pour about a cup of the acid into the bowl, making sure it does not splash. Close the toilet lid and let it stand for an hour or so, overnight if you can. Scrub the stains and flush the toilet.

The acid is so diluted by that time that it will not cause any problem in septic systems. You can buy muriatic acid in hardware and paint stores.

Q. A short time ago you recommended a product, Stone Tech sealer for marble. I have a black marble countertop in my bathroom that we had installed in 1989. The original shine is not perfect any more. A few dull spots have developed over the years of usage. I have waxed it periodically, which improves the looks but does not change the dull spots. Would it be of any value to use the sealer on this marble and if so, how should it be cleaned first?

A. Unfortunately, the wax has penetrated the marble and the top will need to be resurfaced before the application of a sealer. This is a job for a professional stone mechanic. Look in your Yellow Pages under "Stone" headings for such a service.

Once the resurfacing is done, apply Dupont Stone Tech Bullet Proof Sealer.

Shop tip for DIYers: The other day, I was working in a wood shop, applying stain samples on a piece of pine to try to match an existing stain on window sashes that are a replacement for defective ones and need to be stained before installation.

So I opened a dozen cans of stains stacked on a shelf and to my surprise, every one of them had a rim filled with dried up stain that prevented the lid from being tightly sealed. So I used a common nail and hammered holes about an inch apart in the bottom of the rims in order for the stain that accumulates in the rim to drain back when the lid is pounded back in.

An old trick learned many years ago, but I don't remember who I got it from.

• Henri de Marne, a former remodeling contractor turned columnist and consultant, is the author of "About the House with Henri de Marne" (Upper Access Publishing). He continues to take questions from readers for this column and his website, www.henridemarne.com. Email questions to aboutthehouse@gmavt.net.