Best Way to Unclog a Toilet & Avoid Overflow

Toilet clogs are not only unpleasant, but they may also cause damage to floors and plumbing pipes, resulting in expensive repairs. It’s better to deal with the toilet clogs as soon as possible or call a professional to help you get rid of this issue.

It’s tempting to close the lid and let the clog build-up, but that’s not a smart idea. While leaving a blocked toilet to sit overnight isn’t always a bad idea, it’s ideal to fix the problem rather than leaving it to luck. The risk is not greater than the benefit. Furthermore, no one likes to wake up to find their toilet is still clogged and can’t be used.

Unclog the Toilet Yourself

It is not difficult to unclog a toilet. Even the most difficult clogs can be easily removed. It is generally a simple procedure that can be completed with a few basic pieces of equipment – a plunger, a toilet auger, and some expertise. To discover how to unclog your toilet and protect it from clogging again, follow the steps below.

1. Firstly, close the toilet flapper as quickly as possible. This will stop more water from entering your bowl from the tank and causing an overflow.
2. Use a standard plunger to unclog the toilet. Insert the plunger into the bowl and use it to create a tight seal over the hole and start plunging. Flush the toilet with a couple of good up and down strokes of the plunger. If the water in the toilet clears, you’ve successfully unclogged it.
3. If a plunger fails, try a toilet auger. Get the cable right through the toilet’s throat. Apply some pressure to the cable and begin twisting the auger and stretching the cable down into the drainpipe. When the auger gets close to the clog, apply a little more pressure to punch a hole in the clog, allowing water to flow to the sewer.

Side note: Because the toilet and the bathtub share a drainage line, the clog could be shoved so deep that it clogs the bathtub as well. After you’ve unclogged the toilet, make sure to check the drainage in your bathtub.

4. A great trick to unclog the toilet is adding a couple of hot water cups to the toilet bowl before plunging. The heat from the hot water can sometimes break up the blockage, making it much easier to unclog the toilet with the plunger, and you may not even need to plunge anymore!

What Causes the Toilet to Clog

Instead of asking, “How to unclog a toilet?”, a better question to ask is “what is causing the toilet to clog?” Let’s look at some of the likely causes below.

• Having a very old toilet can be one of the major causes of your toilet clogging. Due to its low flush efficiency and water power, it tends to cause more problems when you are trying to force down the waste. In contrast to this, Modern day toilets with low-flow designs are now available that are more focused on flush efficiency and water consumption.
• Clogging might also be caused by existing issues with your main drain and sewer lines. Regular waste and other non-flushable objects will accumulate if your drainpipe is old. A clogged main sewer line might cause many toilets to clog in severe circumstances.
• Because your plumbing vent is located on your roof, it may come into contact with various types of outside elements. Debris such as leaves, sticks, and bird nests can jam the vents over time. When this happens, the drain flow is reduced due to the blockage.
• Your house’s outdated piping, like an old toilet, can cause blockage in your toilets. Pipework becomes prone to collapsing as it ages, giving rise to toilet clogging.

If you notice any of these above-mentioned symptoms around your toilet, it’s time to fix it as soon as possible!

What Should and Should Not Be Flushed

Prevention is always better than restoration. The basic moves to prevent toilet clogging are knowing what not to flush down the drain.

• Human faeces and toilet paper are the only two items that should be flushed down the toilet. Even flushing too many of these things at once can produce a clog.
• Feminine sanitary products, paper towels, facial tissues, hair, grease, and an excessive amount of toilet paper are among the items you should never flush down the toilet. Despite the fact that toilet paper is flushable, dumping a large amount can cause your toilet to clog.

Because many products are labelled flushable, it can be difficult to discern whether or not they should be flushed. You can simply differentiate between the two by soaking them in a water bowl for a few hours and check if the product has dissolved in the water or not. If the material does not dissolve in water, it cannot be flushed.

Though you can unclog your toilet on your own, some situations still require professional assistance. Call 911 Restoration of San Jose and receive the quick and quality work that your emergency deserves.