When your toilet clogs, you’ve got a problem. When your blocked toilet persists, though, the issue can become frustrating fast.
Sometimes you’ll need professional intervention from a plumber, but sometimes know-how and a few things from most hardware shops will do the trick.
Today, then, let’s take a look at the common culprits of a blocked toilet, and help you fix them.
1. Flushing Non Flushable Items
In households with small children, the number one cause of a toilet blockage is items being flushed that shouldn’t have been. Even flushing so-called flushable wipes down the toilet can cause these issues.
Things like baby wipes, sanitary towels (and other sanitary products), wet wipes, and all manner of foreign objects being flushed down the toilet can cause a clog.
Remember, the only things we should ever be flushing down our toilets are toilet paper/toilet tissue and human waste!
How Do I Fix It?
Well I asked Rider Drains Cleaning & Repairs and they said “if you suspect the problem is non-flushable items flushing down your toilet on a regular basis, the first thing to do is to teach children about things that should never go into a toilet bowl and keep the lid closed when not in use!.”
Next, purchase a plumber’s snake or toilet auger (make sure your toilet auger is a closet auger or else it’ll be too large for your toilet). These devices are designed to loosen items that shouldn’t be in your toilet and help give your toilet a flush back.
2. S-Trap Is Clogged
Your s-trap (the s shaped pipe behind your toilet) is designed to prevent sewer gases from entering your home through the toilet drain. However, this can sometimes become clogged.
What’s Next?
To fix it, you’ll simply need a plunger. Before you start, it’s usually a good idea to close the toilet flapper to prevent the blocked toilet from flooding as you fix the issue.
Just locate the circular drain stopper attached to the chain and close it to stop water from entering the tank.
Then take your plunger (wearing rubber gloves, of course, to prevent any health risk) and remove the clog by placing the plunger over the waste pipe outlet in the toilet bowl and creating a seal. Firmly push downwards and pull up repeatedly until the excess water drains away.
3. Using Too Much Toilet Paper
To prevent toilet clogs, it’s often a good idea to think about how much toilet paper you use. Most people use far more toilet paper than is necessary, and this excessive toilet paper can cause a blocked toilet.
Yes, toilet paper is designed to go down the toilet drain, but only if used sparingly. Too much, and you can cause a blocked toilet. But you can’t move or hide your toilet paper holder.
Now What?
If there’s a clog of toilet paper, then the best thing to do is help dissolve it faster.
A mix of baking soda (used sparingly or else the baking soda itself may become an issue), boiling hot water and white vinegar is usually enough to help dissolve excess toilet paper.
Leave for around 30 minutes before attempting to flush.
You can also try products used to unlock drains if you don’t want to make your own at home.
4. Toilet Drain Line Is Blocked
Drain lines that were installed a while ago might struggle to deal with human waste and toilet paper effectively.
If you live in an older property, then your drain line might not be doing its job as effectively as it once did.
What Can I Do About It?
The only option here is to call a plumber. If you live in an older property, then the chances are you’ll need your drain line clearing – and that’s definitely a job for a professional.
5. Low-Flow Isn’t Powerful Enough
If you have an older low flow toilet, then I can almost guarantee the reason you’re experiencing clog after clog is that these first generation low flush toilets don’t have the pressure needed to flush away waste effectively.
If your low flow toilet was first installed in the mid-1990s, then the toilet itself is the issue.
How To Fix It
There’s really only one thing you can do with an old toilet that isn’t draining properly, and that’s to replace it.
Ultimately, there’s no other way of fixing your blockage issues when you flush the toilet if the toilets themselves are the problem.
6. Sewer Line Is Clogged
The first sign of there being a blockage or problem further than your home plumbing system is problems in multiple drains.
If this is the case, then it’s likely that your sewer line is blocked. Sewer lines are the place where your home plumbing connects with the main sewer in your area.
Next Steps
Call a plumber again. You won’t be able to fix problems in the sewage system or sewer line around your home on your own.
7. Blocked Toilet Vent
It’s possible that your toilet’s drainage system is being weakened by a lack of pressure.
Few people realise this, but your plumbing system actually needs air to create pressure, and it gets this air from a vent on your roof – usually above your main bathroom. If this gets blocked, then your toilet won’t create enough pressure when flushing.
What Now?
You can climb on your roof (carefully, of course) and remove the debris. Pour water down it afterwards to ensure there isn’t a complete blockage.
If there is, or if you’d rather not climb on your roof, then a plumber can help.
8. Problems With Your Entire Plumbing System (It’s Time To Move Away From Your Toilet Bowl)
Problems elsewhere can create problems with your toilet too. Believe it or not, even a blocked washing machine drain or kitchen waste pipes can affect your toilet.
Can I Fix That Myself?
I wouldn’t advise taking on this issue yourself if you’ve found that your toilet isn’t the problem, because finding out which drain line or waste pipe is can be time-consuming.
A task this large is usually best left to professionals.
9. Understand Your Plumbing System
You’ll need to understand if your toilets are connected to a sewer system or a septic system. If you are connected to a septic tank, for example, you’ll need to keep up with its maintenance a little more. A professional should clean septic tanks every 1 to 3 years, depending on usage.
Final Thoughts
It’s best to speak with your plumber about your plumbing system if you’re unsure about how it works so you can put a proper maintenance and drain cleaning plan in place to prevent future problems.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.