How To Stop A Toilet Overflowing
Is your toilet suddenly overflowing on your bathroom floor? Quick, read our emergency guide for DIY tips to unblock your toilet before the problem gets worse!
An overflowing toilet is a sight no one wishes to see. It leads to unnecessary panic and maybe a bigger mess if not properly addressed.
Wastewater flowing into your bathroom and spreading may be a health concern and cause expensive water damage. Since it’s a problem everyone will face at some point in their lives, there are simple solutions for anyone to try.
The following concise guide details everything you need to know when your toilet overflows and how to fix the problem.
Firstly, you should remove the lid from your toilet’s tank and set it aside. Reach in and lift the bottom of the float to stop the water from refilling. You may use something to wedge it in place and move on to the next step, turning off the toilet’s water supply to the tank.
It’s usually located near the bottom of the toilet with a valve on it. Alternatively, you can try turning the main water supply off directly if you can’t find it. With this, the water level should drop after a minute or two. Keep an eye on the toilet to see if the level rises higher.
You may face severe plumbing issues if the water level does not drop. In that case, please contact a plumbing service to resolve it.
There are a few things you should never do when it comes to overflowing toilets.
Doing any of the above may worsen the problem, necessitating professional help.
When you face an overflowing toilet, chances are that your toilet is clogged. It may occur if you flush too much toilet paper at once or if non-flushable objects are disposed of in the toilet. Some of the non-flushable objects are:
The only things that you should flush down the toilet are human waste and toilet paper. But, even if you don’t throw any non-flushable objects in your toilet, it may clog due to partial flushing. This may worsen over time, causing the water level to rise in the toilet bowl.
A rare occurrence is the clogged main sewer line of your home, which may cause your toilet to overflow. If so, you may check other toilets in your home to assure yourself of the possibility.
If you’re facing a clogged toilet, try the below methods to solve the problem.
The simplest unclogging method - using a plunger will clear up a clog within a few pumps.
Place the plunger in your toilet and then push it gently to form a seal. Once you’ve removed all the air from the toilet bowl, begin pumping the plunger up and down. Remove the plunger after a few pumps.
You may repeat the process if this doesn’t reduce the water level. If plunging fails, you may move on to the next method.
Toilet snakes, also known as toilet augers, are low-cost devices that easily remove clogs from your toilet bowls, basins or sinks. Push the tube into the bowl and move it around until it hits the clog. By doing so, you’ll create room for the water to exit.
If the method doesn’t work, you may try something else.
This is a fairly straightforward method; you’ll need to pour a few drops of liquid soap into your toilet bowl. Then heat some water in a pan until it boils, and pour that as well in a steady stream.
After this, the toilet clog should soften, and the toilet will flush freely within minutes.
Vinegar and baking soda are effective declogging substances and function as great deodorisers. To unclog your toilet with these, pour about a cup of baking soda and two cups of vinegar. Allow this mixture to work on the clog for five minutes.
Once the mixture has taken effect and the bubbles subside, feel free to flush. You’ll know if the method has worked if the toilet makes a suction noise and drains the vinegar and baking soda solution.
This is the final method you should try before calling a professional plumber. You can rent a wet/dry vacuum to clear a blocked system drain. Just remember to use a set of rubber gloves while using this method.
Use the vacuum to clear out the water from your toilet bowl. Then, cover the hose with a rag and push the vacuum into the toilet drain, after which you may turn on the vacuum to clear the clog out. Be sure to flush afterwards.
When facing an overflowing toilet, the first thing to remember is to act swiftly and not panic. The plumbing problem is usually solvable and requires little effort on your part. If the problem persists after following the steps listed, contact plumbing services immediately. For Melbourne licensed plumbers, speak to us today. The team at WP Plumbing are available 24/7, so you’ll never have to worry about a blocked toilet drain again!
It’s best to deal quickly rather than let it fester.
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