What to know and do about clogged toilets
No one wants to walk into their bathroom and see a puddle under the toilet. Or, flush the toilet and see the water fill the bowl to overflow. This is a situation every one of us will likely encounter at some time.
It causes a momentary feeling of helplessness, but don’t panic. Before you make that emergency call to Flader Plumbing, there are a few things you need to know and a few steps you can take.
Why a clogged toilet happens
An overflowing toilet is caused by one of three things:
1) A clogged drain.
2) An improperly adjusted float that allows the tank to overfill the bowl.
3) A blocked vent pipe that replaces air in the system after each flush.
Any and all of these may be the culprit. While you will likely need a professional plumber to resolve the problem entirely, there are several steps you need to take.
What to do about a clogged toilet
Quickly take control of the situation with the following steps.
Cut toilet water supply.
First, shut off the water supply to the toilet.
To do so, find the valve mounted on the wall behind the toilet. Turn it until the water flow stops. If you can’t find the water shut-off valve, lift the top of the tank and lift the float ball high enough to stop the flow.
Cut home water supply.
Next, shut off the water supply to your home. You’ll likely find the main valve or knob located near the water heater.
Call a professional plumber.
As you catch your breath, call Flader Plumbing, which is available for emergency service 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Our professional technicians arrive on time, listen, answer your questions, recommend the right solution, and deliver as promised. Flader technicians average of 15 years of experience and are EPA certified.
Prepare the area.
While waiting for the plumber to arrive, put on rubber gloves and use some old towels to soak up the water on the floor.
Then, remove a few inches of water from the toilet bowl into a bucket. This will minimize the risk of sloshing more water onto the floor as your plumber fixes the problem.
Plumbing check-up.
After your plumber has completed repairs, ask the technician to inspect other plumbing within your home for potential weak areas. You may detect other issues that may eliminate future emergencies.
Cleaning.
After the plumber leaves, don your rubber gloves again and thoroughly clean the area touched by the toilet water. Some of this water may contain contaminants that require cleaning with bleach and hot water.
Future prevention.
It has been our experience that most toilet overflows are caused by one of the following:
- Using too much toilet paper.
- Putting “flushable” wipes, diapers, sanitary products, Q-tips, and floss down the toilet. None of these are actually flushable.
- Flushing toys, kitty litter, or household trash.
Any of these can be a significant contributor to toilet overflows.
We help homeowners.
Flader Plumbing and Heating is uniquely suited to determine the solution that best fits your home and family’s needs. We’ve been serving your neighbors and our community for over 100 years and four generations.
The Flader Difference
Only Flader Plumbing and Heating delivers:
- The most responsive service – 24 hours, 7 days a week.
- Personal attention from certified and licensed technicians.
- Only the most dependable equipment and parts.
- Money-saving Maintenance Agreements.
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
Reliability.
Flader Plumbing and Heating only recommends equipment, models, and brands proven to have the fewest problems and service calls.
We specialize in:
Comprehensive Services
Whether you need your toilet serviced, replacing your water heater, furnace, or central air conditioning, adding a humidifier, or cleaning and servicing your air quality system or sump pump, we are knowledgeable and expert in delivering the service you need.
Our professional technicians arrive on time, listen, answer your questions, recommend the right solution, and deliver as promised. Flader technicians have an average of 15 years of experience and are EPA certified.
Expert service, quality parts, and satisfaction guaranteed. That’s the combination you deserve. Don’t compromise. Call us at 847-491-6980.
