You may notice that time after time, no matter what you do, or what you use the toilet for, it seems to get clogged up. There’s nothing worse than the fear of your toilet overflowing, or getting clogged up after using it.
Seeing the water rise instead of flushing away can instil fear in the bravest of folk. So, why does it keep clogging, and how can you make it stop?
There are a variety of reasons as to why this keeps happening, from issues with the toilet, to problems with what you are flushing down, so many things can cause your toilet to clog.
The important thing is knowing how to prevent this from happening. So, why does the toilet keep clogging?
Why does my toilet keep clogging?
If your toilet is clogging fairly frequently, then it is not you, it is the toilet. A repeatedly clogging toilet is definitely a sign of a problem.
For the most part this will be because of an issue in the plumbing of the toilet. This could be an issue with the pipes, or the water supply line, which may be a problem that needs to be fixed by a licensed plumber.
Other reasons could be that the toilet is an older model, and is struggling with proper flow, or that the toilet trap itself is clogged or blocked. In addition, it could even be that your sewer line is blocked up.
Whatever the reason is, you are going to want to fix the problem as soon as possible, or you could be faced with an overflow, and nobody wants that.
However, before you try to rectify or fix the issue, you will need to know exactly what is causing it, and what reasons there are if your toilet is becoming clogged.
Reasons your toilet may become clogged
Some of the most common causes of a clogged toilet is a blockage somewhere in the system. This can be caused by a buildup of waste, toilet paper, or items that should not be placed down the toilet. You would be surprised how many kids try to take Barbie for a swim in the whirlpool”¦
The most common reason the toilet is clogged is if there is something stuck inside the toilet. If you flush the toilet, and see that the water itself flushes and goes fine, but anything solid is getting trapped in the toilet, then there is probably a foreign object such in there.
That being said, it is not always toys and random items that can become clogged in the toilet. You will have noticed in public toilets that most have signs telling you not to put feminine hygiene products down the toilet.
This is because feminine hygiene products can become lodged and clog up the toilet if flushed. All feminine hygiene products should always be placed in the bin, not the toilet, so make sure there is one handy in your bathroom!
The only products that should go down the toilet, and should be flushed are toilet paper, and body waste. You should never put paper towels, sanitary pads, Kleenex tissues, or floss down the toilet as these really are not flushable items.
In addition, you should never put baby wipes or wet wipes down the toilet as these will also get trapped in the pipes and cause a blockage.
Another common cause of a clogged toilet is the toilet paper. It seems self explanatory that toilet paper should be able to go into the toilet, but some brands just do not dissolve well in water.
In addition, if you are using too much toilet paper when wiping, and bundling it up into large clumps, then this is also going to cause a blockage and a clogged toilet.
To see if this is the problem, try flushing the toilet with just water. If the water does not even seem to go down, then there is most likely a toilet paper clog somewhere in the toilet.
To get rid of this, you will need to use a plunger (there are things you can try to unclog a toilet without a plunger), a plumber, or a drain snake to get it out. If this seems to happen often, then we would advise changing your toilet paper brand and trying a more water soluble version.
If your toilet fails to flush properly, then it may not be a clog, but a problem with the water supply. If there is not enough water in the tank, then it will not fill up or function properly, this means that not enough water will flow into the toilet when you flush, which in turn will not get rid of whatever is in there. If this is the case, then call a plumber to come take a look.
Other reasons that the toilet clogs often is if what is going down there is”¦.too large to flush. Some people with meat heavy diets can create large poos that become hard to flush and can get stuck.
Nobody really wants to unclog a toilet with poop in it. If this seems to happen a lot after a certain person uses the toilet, then they may need to incorporate more fiber from fruits and vegetables into their diets, and the plumbing should improve!
Finally, sometimes there is not much you can do to prevent a clog. There can be issues such as poor ventilation inside your toilet pipes which can prevent proper flushing mechanisms, or the water in your area is too hard, and can damage the pipes inside the system.
If you feel you have tried everything, and your toilet just seems to fail every time, then we recommend calling a professional plumber in to see if they can identify the problem. Some toilets are just old, need replacing, or were designed badly, and therefore do not work as well as others.
How to unclog a toilet
The best way to unclog a toilet is with a plunger, or a drain snake. A plungerworks through the means of suction and compression, so when you pull up on the plunger, it will pull water upwards, and loosen any blockages or clogs in the drain, and then when you push down, it will force it the other way and get rid of it.
A drain snakeis perfect for removing blockages and clogs as it snakes all the way into the plumbing system, working to loosen and dislodge any blockages in place. Then, you can clear the obstruction in just a few moments.
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